prevention
B2Formal, neutral
Definition
Meaning
The action of stopping something from happening or arising.
Measures or policies designed to forestall harm, disease, accidents, or other negative outcomes before they occur.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Implies proactive, anticipatory action. Often associated with healthcare, safety, security, and policy contexts. Contrasts with 'cure' or 'remediation'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. Both use identically in meaning and register.
Connotations
Slight preference for public health/institutional contexts in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally common in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
the prevention of [noun]for the prevention of [noun][noun] preventionprevention [modifier]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
- “Prevention is better than cure.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to strategies to avoid financial loss, fraud, or operational disruption.
Academic
Used in public health, criminology, and safety engineering research.
Everyday
Common in discussions about health (e.g., flu prevention), safety (e.g., burglary prevention).
Technical
Specific protocols in medicine (e.g., venous thromboembolism prevention) or cybersecurity (e.g., intrusion prevention systems).
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- We must prevent the spread of the virus.
- The new lock is designed to prevent theft.
American English
- Vaccines help prevent serious illness.
- The goal is to prevent forest fires.
adverb
British English
- The medicine was applied preventively.
- They acted preventatively to avoid a crisis.
American English
- The system works preventively.
- She argued preventatively for the policy.
adjective
British English
- She works in preventive dentistry.
- The council took preventative action.
American English
- He advocates preventive healthcare.
- We need preventative maintenance.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Washing hands is good for illness prevention.
- The school teaches fire prevention.
- The company focuses on accident prevention in the workplace.
- Vaccination is a key method of disease prevention.
- The government launched a new crime prevention initiative in the city centre.
- Experts stress that prevention is more cost-effective than treatment.
- The efficacy of the flood prevention scheme was demonstrated during the recent storms.
- Their research focuses on the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease through dietary interventions.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think 'PRE-VENT': you act BEFORE (PRE) something can VENT or come out.
Conceptual Metaphor
PREVENTION IS A SHIELD / BARRIER.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не путать с 'предотвращением' в узком смысле (prevention vs. pre-emption).
- В русском часто используется 'профилактика', которая ближе к 'preventive measures'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'prevention' as a verb (correct verb is 'prevent').
- Confusing 'prevention' (stopping something) with 'protection' (shielding from something).
Practice
Quiz
Which phrase is a common collocation with 'prevention'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Prevention' is exclusively a noun. The verb form is 'prevent'.
'Prevention' aims to stop something from happening at all. 'Protection' aims to shield or defend someone/something from a harm that exists or is imminent.
Yes, 'preventative' is a valid adjective synonymous with 'preventive', though some style guides prefer 'preventive'. Both are widely used.
It is typically used in the context of stopping negative events, so its 'positivity' is derived from avoiding a negative outcome (e.g., 'prevention of suffering').
Collections
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Health and Wellness
B1 · 49 words · Physical and mental health vocabulary.
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