as in preventive
concerned with or serving to keep something from happening
the department in charge of taking preventative measures against international terrorism
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as in insurance
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of preventative
Joan Morris, The Mercury News, 20 May 2024
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
See all Example Sentences for preventative 
Noun
It’s also used on building site soil as a preventative before construction.
—Joan Morris, The Mercury News, 20 May 2024
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
See all Example Sentences for preventative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preventative
Adjective
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The gaming community awaits Sony's explanation for the outage cause and potential preventive measures, particularly given recent service disruptions.—
Yaakov Katz,
Newsweek,
8 Feb. 2025
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The cancer was discovered after Sykes underwent breast reduction surgery, and the comedian opted for a double mastectomy as a preventive measure.—
Eileen Finan,
People.com,
7 Feb. 2025
Noun
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That is why banks, insurance companies, courts, corporations, and other organizations are required by law to attempt to notify you by mail and publish information regarding unclaimed property in the newspaper.—
New York Daily News Special Sections,
New York Daily News,
14 Feb. 2025
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Californians will be asked to shoulder only half of the cost of the bailout, while the other half will be taken on by insurance companies under an agreement reached last year.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
13 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Homeowners should take precautions before a storm hits by setting thermostats to a reasonable level to conserve energy, insulating pipes to prevent freezing and ensuring all doors and windows are sealed properly.—
Kristan Hawkins,
Newsweek,
6 Feb. 2025
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No major damage has yet been reported, but Greek authorities are taking precautions ahead of a potentially large-scale earthquake.—
Chris Liakos,
CNN,
6 Feb. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near preventative
Cite this Entry
“Preventative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preventative. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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