prevention

American  

[pri-ven-shuhn] / prɪˈvɛn ʃən /

noun

• preventions
  plural

1. the act of preventing; effectual hindrance.

2. a preventive.

   This serum is a prevention against disease.

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prevention British  

/ prɪˈvɛnʃən /

noun

1. the act of preventing

2. a hindrance, obstacle, or impediment

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonprevention
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• preventions
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of prevention

1520–30; < Late Latin praeventiōn- (stem of praeventiō ) a forestalling. See prevent, -ion

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Explanation

When an action stops something from happening, like assigning extra teachers to watch a playground during recess to prevent bullying, it's called prevention. The noun prevention comes up most often when people are trying to keep something bad in check, like crime, disease, or forest fires. Educating kids about nutrition is one form of obesity prevention, for example, and lowering speed limits can help with accident prevention. The word prevent is at the root of prevention, and it comes from the Latin praeventus, "anticipate or hinder."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

prevention preventions

"Today, p-tau217 can help identify people at high risk for future Alzheimer's dementia for participation in prevention trials," said Sperling.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 31, 2026

The Welsh government said improving cancer care was a "top priority", with a 10-year strategy focused on better prevention, diagnosis and treatment aimed at improving services and outcomes for patients of all ages.

From BBC ● Oct. 31, 2026

“Our HIV business grew 18% and HIV prevention sales nearly doubled year-over-year,” Chief Executive Officer Daniel O’Day said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026

Speaking at a news conference Monday touting the city’s crime drop, Bass said the racial disparities among homicides underscores the importance of prevention and intervention programs, including the mayor’s Gang Reduction and Youth Development initiative.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 27, 2026

It had launched programs for women’s literacy and for the prevention of AIDS, and reduced the rate of HIV transmission from mothers to babies to 4 percent—about half the current rate in the United States.

From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French

"There were these pressure alarm mats, but as soon as you stood on them, they would slip from underneath your feet – they were used as preventions, but were actually causing the falls."

From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2025

U.S. taxpayers invested billions of dollars in the effort and were able, until recently, to access treatments and preventions for the virus without paying out-of-pocket for them.

From Seattle Times ● Dec. 7, 2023

"Epidemic preventions have been lifted...COVID-19 testing sites are mostly being dismantled... So, because right now in Chaoyang district cases are quite high, it is better to stock up on some medicines," he said.

From Reuters ● Dec. 7, 2022

DuckDuckGo CEO Gabe Weinberg said at the time that the reason for it was a search syndication agreement with Microsoft, and that more updates on third-party tracker preventions were coming.

From The Verge ● Aug. 5, 2022

However, year by year, as sheds and fences and other preventions are multiplied, railroad delays caused by snow become fewer and fewer.

From St. Nicholas Magazine for Boys and Girls, Vol. 5, January 1878, No. 3 by Mary Mapes Dodge

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Related Words

• avoidance

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