prevent
prevent
Pronunciation
The IPA phonetic spelling for the word "prevent" is /prɪˈvent/.
Here's a breakdown of the sounds in each syllable:
pre-: /prɪ/
/p/ - voiceless bilabial stop
/r/ - alveolar trill (or approximant in some dialects)
/ɪ/ - near-high near-front unrounded vowel
-vent: /ˈvent/
/v/ - voiced labiodental fricative
/e/ - near-open front unrounded vowel
/n/ - alveolar nasal
/t/ - voiceless alveolar stop
Word Form Variations
prevent (verb, base form) - This is the infinitive form and the form used in present tense for all persons except the third person singular. Example: They prevent accidents.
prevents (verb, third-person singular present) - Used for he, she, or it. Example: She prevents problems.
prevented (verb, past tense and past participle) - Example: The wall prevented the flood. / The flood was prevented.
preventing (verb, present participle and gerund) - Example: They are preventing a fire. / Preventing crime is important.
preventable (adjective) - Capable of being prevented. Example: The accident was preventable.
preventability (noun) - The quality of being preventable. Example: The preventability of the disease was studied.
prevention (noun) - The act of preventing something. Example: Fire prevention is crucial.
preventative (adjective) - Serving to prevent; preventive. Example: Preventative measures were taken. (Note: "preventive" is generally preferred in American English.)
preventive (adjective) - Serving to prevent. Example: Preventive medicine is important.
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Verb:
Definition: To stop something from happening; to hinder or obstruct the occurrence of an event or action.
Synonyms: avert, preclude, forestall, impede, obstruct, thwart, deter, stop, block, halt
Antonyms: allow, permit, enable, facilitate, encourage, cause, promote, incite
Noun:
Definition: (Less common as a noun, but can refer to a measure or action taken to prevent something) A preventative measure or safeguard.
Synonyms: prevention, safeguard, deterrent, precaution, defense, protection
Antonyms: (Generally uses antonyms of "prevention" which are more abstract) risk, danger, exposure, vulnerability
Adjective:
Definition: Serving to prevent or hinder; designed or intended to stop something from happening. (Often used interchangeably with "preventative," though "preventive" is more common in American English.)
Synonyms: preventative, precautionary, protective, deterrent, prophylactic, impeding, obstructive
Antonyms: permissive, encouraging, enabling, facilitative, causative, promoting
Adverb:
(The word "prevent" is not typically used as an adverb.) To express the idea of preventing something adverbially, you would use phrases like "preventively," "as a preventative measure," or "in order to prevent." For example: "The medicine was taken preventively."
Examples of Use
Books:
"The doctor explained the importance of a healthy diet to prevent heart disease." (Fictional example, but representative of how the word is used in health and wellness contexts.)
"They built a seawall to prevent further erosion of the coastline." (Again, fictional, but reflects real-world infrastructure projects.)
Newspapers/Online Publications:
"New measures are being implemented to prevent cyberattacks." (News article headline or excerpt - easily found in any major news outlet.)
"Scientists are working to prevent the spread of invasive species." (Environmental science article - searchable online.)
"The new legislation aims to prevent discrimination in the workplace." (Political or legal news - common usage.)
Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
"The superhero's mission is to prevent the villain's evil plans." (Movie plot synopsis or dialogue.)
"The game's objective is to prevent the enemy from reaching the castle." (Video game description or gameplay instructions.)
"The coach stressed the importance of teamwork to prevent errors on the field." (Sports commentary or player interview.)
General Public Discourse:
"We need to educate children about online safety to prevent them from falling victim to cyberbullying." (Parenting advice or public awareness campaign.)
"Regular exercise can help prevent many health problems." (General health and wellness advice.)
"Lock your doors to prevent burglaries." (Common safety tip.)
"The fire department is holding a workshop on how to prevent house fires." (Community event announcement.)
10 Famous Quotes Using Prevent
"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. To prevent is wiser than to repair." — Benjamin Franklin
"The best way to prevent war is not to fear it." — John Randolph
"Laws alone cannot secure freedom of expression; to prevent abuse, we must cultivate the spirit of tolerance." — Albert Einstein
"The function of freedom is to free someone else, and to prevent its loss by silence." — Toni Morrison
"The most effective way to prevent crime is to build a society of justice." — Nelson Mandela
"To prevent disease, eat wisely, breathe deeply, live moderately, cultivate cheerfulness, and maintain an interest in life." — William Osler
"Governments exist to protect us from each other. Where government has gone beyond its limits is in deciding to protect us from ourselves — and to prevent us from our own choices." — Ronald Reagan
"The great aim of education is not knowledge but action, and to prevent ignorance from perpetuating itself." — Herbert Spencer
"The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting; to prevent conflict is greater than to win it." — Sun Tzu
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing; to prevent it, action is required." — Edmund Burke (attributed)
Etymology
The word "prevent" comes from Latin, specifically the word praevenire. Think of it like this:
prae- means "before"
venire means "to come"
So, praevenire literally means "to come before." Imagine someone getting to a place before something else happens, thereby stopping it. That's the core idea behind "prevent."
The first recorded use of "prevent" in English was sometime in the 15th century. Initially, it carried a slightly different meaning than we use today. It meant "to go before," "to precede," or even "to anticipate." Think of it like a scout going ahead of an army.
Over time, the meaning shifted. The sense of "coming before" evolved into the idea of "coming before in order to stop." So, instead of just arriving first, "prevent" came to mean arriving first to stop something from happening.
So, to recap: "prevent" comes from Latin, originally meaning "to come before." It first appeared in English in the 15th century with a slightly different meaning, but it gradually developed its modern meaning of stopping something from happening by taking action beforehand.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Prevent
Phrases (more literal):
Prevent something from happening: This is the most common and basic usage. "We must prevent this from happening again."
Preventative measures: "The company took preventative measures to avoid future accidents." (Note: "preventive" is also common.)
Preventative maintenance: "Regular preventative maintenance can extend the life of your equipment."
Prevent crime: "The police are working to prevent crime in the neighborhood."
Prevent the spread: "We need to prevent the spread of misinformation."
Difficult to prevent: "Some accidents are simply difficult to prevent."
Efforts to prevent: "Efforts to prevent climate change are crucial."
Why few idioms with "prevent":
As mentioned, idioms tend to be more concrete and often involve metaphors. "Prevent" is already somewhat abstract. It's hard to make a colorful, figurative expression out of the idea of stopping something. We don't often say things like "He prevented the disaster by the skin of his teeth" – we'd likely use a more active verb like "averted" or "stopped."
Synonymous Idioms and Phrases (for similar effect):
Since "prevent" itself doesn't generate many idioms, let's look at idioms that capture the idea of preventing, avoiding, or stopping something bad:
Nip it in the bud: To stop something at an early stage. "We need to nip this problem in the bud before it gets out of control."
A stitch in time saves nine: Addressing a problem early can prevent it from becoming much bigger. "Fix that leak now – a stitch in time saves nine."
Close the barn door after the horse has bolted: Trying to prevent something after it's already happened (often used to express futility).
Forestall the inevitable: To delay or prevent something that is certain to happen.
Ward off: To fend off or prevent something harmful. "He used a shield to ward off the blows."
Keep at bay: To keep something dangerous or unwanted at a distance. "The army kept the enemy at bay."
These idioms capture the spirit of prevention, even if they don't use the word itself. They offer more colorful and figurative ways to express the idea of stopping something undesirable.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of prevent from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
