proactive

American  

[proh-ak-tiv] / proʊˈæk tɪv /

adjective

1. serving to prepare for, intervene in, or control an expected occurrence or situation, especially a negative or challenging one; anticipatory.

   The new guidelines will help industry employers develop proactive measures to keep their workplaces safe.

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proactive British  

/ prəʊˈæktɪv /

adjective

1. tending to initiate change rather than reacting to events

2. psychol of or denoting a mental process that affects a subsequent process

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Usage

What does proactive mean? Proactive is the opposite of reactive. Actions that are proactive are initiated not in reaction to a situation but instead out of a desire to make a positive change, prepare for a situation, or prevent something from happening.Proactive is commonly used to describe people who take such actions. It’s also commonly used in the phrase proactive measures, meaning proactive actions, especially those done to prevent a negative situation.Example: Henry credits most of his success to being proactive instead of waiting for opportunities to come to him.

Other Word Forms

• proactive noun
• proactively adverb
• proactiveness noun
• proactivity noun

Etymology

Origin of proactive

First recorded in 1930–35; pro- ¹ + active

Example Sentences

Cancelleri, the California entrepreneur, said he has no regrets about holding his son back and would have been just as proactive if the boy loved the violin.

From The Wall Street Journal

"All the more that we should be proactive to... insist on a peaceful resolution of conflicts."

From Barron's

It said its thoughts were with everyone affected by the tragedy and that following the attack it had "proactively" contacted Canadian police with information on the suspect.

From BBC

To ease such concerns, Takaichi on Wednesday repeated her mantra of having a "responsible, proactive" fiscal policy and promised to reduce debt.

From Barron's

But a landslide victory in snap elections this month gives the Japanese prime minister a powerful mandate for what she describes as a “responsible, proactive fiscal policy” to remake the economy.

From Barron's