prevention

noun

pre·​ven·​tion pri-ˈven(t)-shən How to pronounce prevention (audio)
Synonyms of prevention
: the act of preventing or hindering

Synonyms of prevention

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of prevention in a Sentence

Exercise and diet play a role in the prevention of heart disease. good crowd control is crucial to the prevention of riots
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This pilot is meant to address a gap the district saw in a lack of specialized personnel to provide prevention education, community engagement and intervention protocols for students using substances. — Morgan Matzen, Sioux Falls Argus Leader, 3 Sep. 2026 The council was issuing a proclamation about gun violence prevention. — Taylor Seely, AZCentral.com, 3 Sep. 2026 But in recent years, financial need has become the main driver, which has shifted the group’s aim to homelessness prevention. — Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026 Second, leaders need to stop optimizing solely for prevention. — Brian Contos, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for prevention

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of prevention was in the 15th century

Phrases Containing prevention

Rhymes for prevention

See All Rhymes for prevention

Browse Nearby Words

preventingly
prevention
preventional
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Prevention.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prevention. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

prevention

noun
pre·​ven·​tion pri-ˈven-chən How to pronounce prevention (audio)
: the act or practice of preventing something
the prevention of fires
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of apiary

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All