noun
Other Word Forms
- preparedly adverb
- unpreparedness noun
Etymology
Origin of preparedness
Explanation
Preparedness is a condition of being completely ready for something, especially some kind of disaster. Your family's preparedness for an approaching hurricane might include an evacuation plan. The noun preparedness has been around since the 16th century, originally simply meaning "a state of being prepared." That definition is still used today, but it's more common when talking about something potentially devastating, like a war or a natural disaster. If you live on an earthquake fault line, your town's preparedness may consist of emergency shelters and reinforced buildings. A country's military preparedness is its readiness to fight a war or defend itself.
Vocabulary lists containing preparedness
Unit 8, Week 3
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Haiti Earthquake One-Year Report
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The Suffix -ness, Part 3
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It’s not clear what difference a prefire preparedness alert sent to residents before the Eaton fire would have made.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 24, 2026
Layla McKay, of NHS Confederation and NHS Providers, which represents hospitals, said: "It is vital that these lessons translate into meaningful action, strengthened preparedness and a more resilient health and care system for the future."
From BBC • Mar. 19, 2026
Congress gradually has expanded its understanding of national defense beyond U.S. military preparedness, the report noted.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 13, 2026
“Their defensive posture isn’t what it needs to be,” said Bryan Stern, chief executive of Grey Bull Rescue, a nonprofit evacuating Americans and U.S. allies from the Middle East, said of the Emirates’ preparedness.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 4, 2026
One of the things I thank Dauntless for is the preparedness that eliminates my fear.
From "Divergent" by Veronica Roth
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
