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.
The Bundibugyo Ebola strain has no authorized vaccine or treatment; officials blame past U.S. foreign-aid cuts for poor preparedness.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026
The Welsh government said it was "committed to improving our nation's preparedness for climate impacts".
From BBC • May 20, 2026
McGinn said that, speaking from a strict military preparedness perspective, there can never be enough depth and that the only way to achieve more depth is to invest in more breadth.
From Salon • May 8, 2026
They agreed to advance their high-level strategic partnership to a "new phase of development", Hung said, and inked six agreements spanning technology, climate preparedness and information and communication.
From Barron's • May 2, 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.
