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

Derived 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

All of my friends who seemed proactive about their careers already had jobs or internships in their preferred fields.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 2, 2026

We’ve been very transparent and proactive with members of Congress and with the state attorneys general and the federal authorities.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 1, 2026

Wong's catch was an outlier, a fantastic effort running backwards from cover after Ghosh's reverse sweep, and Dean was proactive in bringing her seamer straight back into the attack with confidence behind her.

From BBC • May 28, 2026

Some corporate tech chiefs are similarly taking a proactive approach to managing their AI agents, hoping to prevent agent sprawl from becoming a more widespread problem.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026

First off, I just wasn’t the proactive, petition-pounding type.

From "Anthem of a Reluctant Prophet" by Joanne Proulx