preventative
1 of 2adjective
pre·ven·ta·tive pri-ˈven-tə-tiv 
: devoted to or concerned with preventing something from happening : preventive entry 1
The best preventative medicine that you can give to your plants is to mulch them.
Ann Whynman
Ann WhynmanLos Angeles County promised to revamp its system, gradually reducing the use of expensive inpatient hospitals through more preventative care at outpatient clinics. Jonathan Cohn
Jonathan Cohnpreventative
2 of 2noun
plural preventatives
: something that serves to prevent something from occurring : preventive entry 2
We've got the live vaccinia virus vaccine as a preventative for smallpox … D. A. Henderson et al.
D. A. Henderson et al.Green onions are a mosquito preventative. Garrison Keillor
Garrison Keillor
Synonyms
Adjective
- precautionary
- preventive
- prophylactic
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web Allison Prang, WSJ, 9 Sep. 2022 The provision under the Affordable Care Act mandates free coverage of a number of preventative services including HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis, commonly known as PrEP. Vanessa Etienne, Peoplemag, 8 Sep. 2022 The preliminary investigations by prosecutors against Castillo are a first for a sitting president in Peru, as is the preventative detention of his sister-in-law stemming from money laundering allegations. Regina Garcia Cano, Anchorage Daily News, 4 Sep. 2022 Fonda, who is a vocal climate activist, advocated for a preventative approach to cancer, writing that the U.S. should work to eliminate the chemicals and pollution that can cause the disease. Simrin Singh, CBS News, 2 Sep. 2022 Unfortunately, the curative approach doesn’t work as well as the preventative approach. Joanne Kempinger Demski, Journal Sentinel, 1 Sep. 2022 There is no vaccine for the virus, so preventative measures are the most effective way to avoid infection. Chris Boyette, CNN, 17 Aug. 2022 For example, when developing a machine preventative maintenance system or an electric fleet of vehicles, an AI/IoT architect has to design a system that can be run, tuned and governed by engineers on the floor/fleet. Forbes, 17 Aug. 2022 The preventative spraying and removal of dead palms are both costly. Linda Jones, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Aug. 2022 See More
Adjective
Another Oregon utility, Pacific Power, said more than 7,000 customers were without power as of 1 p.m. local time because of preventative public-safety power shutoffs. Allison Prang, WSJ, 9 Sep. 2022 The provision under the Affordable Care Act mandates free coverage of a number of preventative services including HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis, commonly known as PrEP. Vanessa Etienne, Peoplemag, 8 Sep. 2022 The preliminary investigations by prosecutors against Castillo are a first for a sitting president in Peru, as is the preventative detention of his sister-in-law stemming from money laundering allegations. Regina Garcia Cano, Anchorage Daily News, 4 Sep. 2022 Fonda, who is a vocal climate activist, advocated for a preventative approach to cancer, writing that the U.S. should work to eliminate the chemicals and pollution that can cause the disease. Simrin Singh, CBS News, 2 Sep. 2022 Unfortunately, the curative approach doesn’t work as well as the preventative approach. Joanne Kempinger Demski, Journal Sentinel, 1 Sep. 2022 There is no vaccine for the virus, so preventative measures are the most effective way to avoid infection. Chris Boyette, CNN, 17 Aug. 2022 For example, when developing a machine preventative maintenance system or an electric fleet of vehicles, an AI/IoT architect has to design a system that can be run, tuned and governed by engineers on the floor/fleet. Forbes, 17 Aug. 2022 The preventative spraying and removal of dead palms are both costly. Linda Jones, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
Adjective
1655, in the meaning defined above
Noun
1651, in the meaning defined above
Medical Definition
preventative
adjective or noun
pre·ven·ta·tive pri-ˈvent-ət-iv
: preventive
preventative 1 of 2
adjective
as in preventive
concerned with or serving to keep something from happening the department in charge of taking preventative measures against international terrorism Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- preventive
- prophylactic
- precautionary
- deterring
- deterrent
- blocking
- neutralizing
- frustrating
- thwarting
- negating
- nullifying
- baffling
- retardant
- hindering
- impeding
- hampering
- foiling
- balking
- stalling
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- assisting
- aiding
- facilitating
- promoting
- smoothing
- nurturing
- encouraging
- fostering
- forwarding
- easing
- abetting
- furthering
preventative
2 of 2noun
as in precaution
Synonyms & Similar Words
- preventive
- precaution
- insurance
- safeguard
- palladium
- lock
- defense
- fail-safe
- shield
- protection
- caution
- ward
- wall
- guardianship
- armor
- screen
- shelter
- refuge
- asylum
- guard
- cover
- haven
- retreat
- aegis
- harbor
- invulnerability
- inviolability
- egis
- invincibility
- invincibleness
- invulnerableness
- impregnability
- impregnableness
- inviolableness
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- threat
- risk
- hazard
- instability
- exposure
- liability
- precariousness
- vulnerability
- susceptibility
- openness
- vulnerableness
- violability
- harm's way
- susceptibleness