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 Whynman
Los 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 Keillor
Examples of preventative in a Sentence
Adjective the department in charge of taking preventative measures against international terrorism
Recent Examples on the Web
Jt Moodee Lockman, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2026 Reuters recently reported that a Romanian court lifted all preventative judicial control measures as investigations continue. —Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 14 Apr. 2026
Vann R. Newkirk Ii, The Atlantic, 9 Feb. 2026 Clayful partners with schools to provide preventative, pre-clinical mental health coaching to students. —Afdhel Aziz, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for preventative
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.
Adjective
Another bill signed into law Tuesday, the Vax Act, requires Maryland's Secretary of Health to issue recommendations for some vaccines, screenings and preventative services based on scientific and clinical guidance. —Jt Moodee Lockman, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2026 Reuters recently reported that a Romanian court lifted all preventative judicial control measures as investigations continue. —Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 14 Apr. 2026
Noun
Vaccinations and other preventatives against ever-evolving germs do not on their own guarantee personal safety—only eradication can do that. —Vann R. Newkirk Ii, The Atlantic, 9 Feb. 2026 Clayful partners with schools to provide preventative, pre-clinical mental health coaching to students. —Afdhel Aziz, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for preventative
Cite this Entry
“Preventative.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/dictionary/preventative. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
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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