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.
"We are committed to improving our nation's preparedness for climate impacts and know that by acting now, we can build a fair, climate-resilient future for Wales."
From BBC • May 20, 2026
The World Health Organization recommends a 42-day quarantine and "active follow-up", including daily checks for symptoms such as fever, the UN body's epidemic and pandemic preparedness and prevention director, Maria Van Kerkhove, said in Geneva.
From Barron's • May 11, 2026
“We do believe that there may be some human-to-human transmission that’s happening among the really close contacts,” Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO’s director for epidemic and pandemic preparedness and prevention, said Tuesday morning.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026
This possible connection has major implications for earthquake preparedness.
From Science Daily • May 2, 2026
He added that Compton, “like all of us, is very anxious that we scientists do everything we can in the direction of preparedness, and we discussed ways and means.”
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
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.
