prevent
/prɪˈvɛnt/
Reviewed on
Type
Verb
Meaning
To keep something undesirable from happening.
Regular maintenance will prevent major mechanical failures down the road.
Can early intervention really prevent these chronic health issues?
To stop someone from doing something or from succeeding.
Heavy snowfall prevented the team from reaching the summit on schedule.
Nothing could have prevented him from finishing the race.
How it's used
When this means “stop an event”
- prevent the accident
“prevent it.”
Safety regulations help prevent serious accidents.
When this means “stop someone from doing something”
- prevent the customer from entering
“prevented him from entering.”
A security guard prevented the visitor from entering the building.
Collocations
- prevent an accident
- prevent disease
- prevent fraud
- measures to prevent
Synonyms
- avert
- forestall
- thwart
- hinder