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 Cohn
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 KeillorSynonyms
Examples of preventative in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the WebSierra Lopez, The Mercury News, 19 Apr. 2024
Others wonder if consuming pickle juice could have preventative health benefits.
—Hannah Yasharoff, USA TODAY, 19 Apr. 2024
However, a senior administration official said there are concerns about China ramping up exports, making the higher tariff levels necessary as a preventative measure.
—Chris Megerian and Will Weissert, Quartz, 17 Apr. 2024
In preparation for the summer months, the city of Phoenix is currently constructing 790 new shelter beds and earlier this month the City Council went over plans to extend library hours to offer overnight respite and other preventative efforts.
—Sarah Lapidus, The Arizona Republic, 2 Apr. 2024
What to do if carjacking in Louisville happens to you
There are preventative measures to reduce the chance of becoming a carjacking victim, according to Louisville Metro Police spokesman John Bradley.
—Rachel Smith, The Courier-Journal, 1 Apr. 2024
Robin Rigg, chairman of the Slovak Wildlife Society, told CNN that preventative methods, such as electric fencing, can help deter bears from attractants, such as beehives, fruit trees and livestock.
—Billy Stockwell, CNN, 30 Mar. 2024
Among the issues addressed: fertility, family planning, pelvic floor therapy, proper sports bra fit, preventative screenings and bone health.
—Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2024
This would not be the first time the company has taken preventative measures to ensure their members are the only shoppers receiving benefits.
—Angel Saunders, Peoplemag, 26 Mar. 2024
Colleen Grablick, Washington Post, 9 Apr. 2024
Masks, while not required, can be a helpful preventative, as can staying 6 feet away from someone with symptoms.
—Keri Brenner, The Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2024
Shiva is spayed, current on vaccinations and preventatives.
—Stephanie Baillargeon-McCurry and, Kansas City Star, 21 Feb. 2024
Also, be sure to budget for health care maintenance items like preventatives for heartworms, intestinal parasites, fleas and ticks.
—Laurie Larsh, Charlotte Observer, 30 Jan. 2024
Routine care includes: Annual wellness exams Food or supplements
Heartworm preventatives
Spaying or neutering
Some companies offer wellness riders as add-ons to accident and illness or accident-only policies.
—Kat Tretina, wsj.com, 8 Jan. 2024
Remember, protecting your furry friend from heartworms requires a proactive approach that involves administering preventive medication as prescribed, reducing exposure to mosquitoes, regular testing, and considering combination preventatives or shots.
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 22 June 2023
A lot of people are baffled at this behavior—at balking at something so basic, a disease transmission preventative that has such a low barrier to access.
—Emily Willingham, Scientific American, 29 June 2020
Regularly use flea and tick preventatives recommended by your veterinarian to keep these pesky critters at bay.
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 6 Aug. 2023
Adjective
Still, the agency has agreed to a number of remedies including implementing a strategic maintenance plan to renovate its 87 station elevators, promptly repair out-of-service station elevators and escalators and implement a preventative plan to ensure routine access.
—Sierra Lopez, The Mercury News, 19 Apr. 2024
Others wonder if consuming pickle juice could have preventative health benefits.
—Hannah Yasharoff, USA TODAY, 19 Apr. 2024
However, a senior administration official said there are concerns about China ramping up exports, making the higher tariff levels necessary as a preventative measure.
—Chris Megerian and Will Weissert, Quartz, 17 Apr. 2024
In preparation for the summer months, the city of Phoenix is currently constructing 790 new shelter beds and earlier this month the City Council went over plans to extend library hours to offer overnight respite and other preventative efforts.
—Sarah Lapidus, The Arizona Republic, 2 Apr. 2024
What to do if carjacking in Louisville happens to you
There are preventative measures to reduce the chance of becoming a carjacking victim, according to Louisville Metro Police spokesman John Bradley.
—Rachel Smith, The Courier-Journal, 1 Apr. 2024
Robin Rigg, chairman of the Slovak Wildlife Society, told CNN that preventative methods, such as electric fencing, can help deter bears from attractants, such as beehives, fruit trees and livestock.
—Billy Stockwell, CNN, 30 Mar. 2024
Among the issues addressed: fertility, family planning, pelvic floor therapy, proper sports bra fit, preventative screenings and bone health.
—Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2024
This would not be the first time the company has taken preventative measures to ensure their members are the only shoppers receiving benefits.
—Angel Saunders, Peoplemag, 26 Mar. 2024
Noun
Start slow Before heading into the great outdoors, make sure your cat is up to date on vaccinations and flea-and-tick preventatives.
—Colleen Grablick, Washington Post, 9 Apr. 2024
Masks, while not required, can be a helpful preventative, as can staying 6 feet away from someone with symptoms.
—Keri Brenner, The Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2024
Shiva is spayed, current on vaccinations and preventatives.
—Stephanie Baillargeon-McCurry and, Kansas City Star, 21 Feb. 2024
Also, be sure to budget for health care maintenance items like preventatives for heartworms, intestinal parasites, fleas and ticks.
—Laurie Larsh, Charlotte Observer, 30 Jan. 2024
Routine care includes: Annual wellness exams Food or supplements
Heartworm preventatives
Spaying or neutering
Some companies offer wellness riders as add-ons to accident and illness or accident-only policies.
—Kat Tretina, wsj.com, 8 Jan. 2024
Remember, protecting your furry friend from heartworms requires a proactive approach that involves administering preventive medication as prescribed, reducing exposure to mosquitoes, regular testing, and considering combination preventatives or shots.
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 22 June 2023
A lot of people are baffled at this behavior—at balking at something so basic, a disease transmission preventative that has such a low barrier to access.
—Emily Willingham, Scientific American, 29 June 2020
Regularly use flea and tick preventatives recommended by your veterinarian to keep these pesky critters at bay.
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 6 Aug. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'preventative.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near preventative
Cite this Entry
“Preventative.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/preventative. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
preventative
adjective or noun
pre·ven·ta·tive
pri-ˈvent-ət-iv
Medical Definition
preventative
adjective or noun
pre·ven·ta·tive
pri-ˈvent-ət-iv
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