preparedness
Americannoun
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the state of being prepared; readiness.
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possession of adequate armed forces, industrial resources and potential, etc., especially as a deterrent to enemy attack.
noun
Other Word Forms
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
Haiti Earthquake One-Year Report
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Unit 8, Week 3
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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 quickly developed a high standing among Western peers during the Cold War for its insights into the inner workings and military preparedness of Soviet Russia and its satellites in Eastern Europe.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026
Most parents may be more comfortable talking about preparedness than discussing the size of their estate.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 23, 2026
Sullivan says preparedness also needs to involve much more than creating diagnostic tests, vaccines and drugs.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 20, 2026
When the Soviet Union collapsed in the early 1990s, many European countries began a decades-long winding down of military preparedness, dramatically cutting defence spending, in the belief that the threat from Russia had disappeared.
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026
“There is nothing to do but confess my lack of preparedness to Miss Mortimer,” she thought.
From "The Interrupted Tale" by Maryrose Wood
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.
