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

Explanation

The adjective proactive can describe a person who gets things done. If you are proactive, you make things happen, instead of waiting for them to happen to you. Active means "doing something." The prefix pro- means "before." So if you are proactive, you are ready before something happens. The opposite is being reactive, or waiting for things to unfold before responding. Think about winter cold season. A proactive person washes his hands and takes vitamins; a reactive person gets sick and takes cold medicine.

Example Sentences

Employees who are proactive now have the chance to reshape their jobs for the future.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 11, 2026

ServiceNow is being proactive about engaging and integrating AI, but the analysts didn’t hear strong customer buy-in for using the software for agentic AI orchestration.

From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026

Planning new projects in ways that avoid harm to wildlife and include proactive conservation plans can avoid lawsuits, permit delays, reputational risks and increased costs.

From Salon • Apr. 7, 2026

President Jimmy Carter used his 1980 State of the Union address to articulate a proactive new American position toward the region, centered on the strait.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 21, 2026

I decide it can’t hurt to be proactive here, so I type in her address and start an email before I can stop myself.

From "Every Day" by David Levithan