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 KeillorExamples of preventative in a Sentence
Adjective
the department in charge of taking preventative measures against international terrorism
Recent Examples on the Web
Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 20 Apr. 2025
With ageing populations, soaring demand for preventative care and a shrinking pool of medical professionals (about 25% of whom are considering a career change), the global healthcare system is teetering on the edge.
—Kjartan Rist, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025
Steve Bender, Southern Living, 12 Apr. 2025
By incorporating this approach, healthcare can shift from reactive to preventative.
—Karlo Tanjuakio, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for preventative
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Adjective
The case focuses on Obamacare's preventative care requirement.
—Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 20 Apr. 2025
With ageing populations, soaring demand for preventative care and a shrinking pool of medical professionals (about 25% of whom are considering a career change), the global healthcare system is teetering on the edge.
—Kjartan Rist, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025
Noun
Now, the best preventative is to plant disease resistant selections, such as Freedom, Liberty, Priscilla and Redfree.
—Steve Bender, Southern Living, 12 Apr. 2025
By incorporating this approach, healthcare can shift from reactive to preventative.
—Karlo Tanjuakio, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for preventative
Cite this Entry
“Preventative.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/preventative. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
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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