prevention

noun

pre·​ven·​tion pri-ˈven(t)-shən How to pronounce prevention (audio)
Synonyms of preventionnext
: 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.
That gap matters because the science on prevention has sharpened considerably in the past two years. — Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 1 July 2026 Pests like fleas, termites, bed bugs and wildlife infestations require specialized treatment and prevention. — Alora Bopray, USA Today, 1 July 2026 Its transmission routes and prevention measures are likewise similar. — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 2 July 2026 Much of the funding for HIV prevention was restored, but healthcare advocates say the initial cuts could have lasting effects on research. — Tamar Hallerman, AJC.com, 1 July 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 7 Jul. 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

More from Merriam-Webster on prevention

Nglish: Translation of prevention for Spanish Speakers

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!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
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
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All