preventive

Taken before trouble

Preventive describes actions taken to stop something undesirable before it happens: preventive medicine, preventive maintenance, preventive measures.

As a noun, a preventive is something that prevents, especially disease or decay.

Preventive and preventative mean the same thing; preventive is shorter and more common in formal writing.

medicine

prophylactic

Measure preventing disease or harm

antimalarial · statin · aspirin · fluoride · probiotic · supplement · booster · inoculation · serum · premedication

security

surveillance

Systematic observation of subjects

barrier · deterrent · countermeasure · defense · safeguard · alarm · backup · contingency · protocol · firewall

health

vaccination

Administered immunity booster

wellness · hygiene · nutrition · exercise · fitness · diet · lifestyle · self-care · sleep · non-smoking

mindset

proactive

Acting before problems arise

prudent · vigilant · circumspect · forethought · heedful · mindful · watchful · foresight · preparedness · forward-thinking

maintenance

inspection

Formal assessment of condition

lubrication · calibration · cleaning · replacement · monitoring · testing · scheduled · routine · upkeep · audit

Categories
Opposites
temporal approach to problems

preventivecurative

Promoting recovery from illness

remedial · corrective · reactive · therapeutic · restorative

effect on outcomes

preventivecausative

Expressing what produces effects

promoting · facilitating · fostering · encouraging · furthering

restriction vs. permission

preventivepermissive

Tolerant, lacking strictness

allowing · enabling · bailable · laissez-faire · tolerant

Phrases
Family

prevention, preventing, preventively, preventives

Familiarity
Top 50,000
Profile
Known to kids · Used worldwide · Timeless · Abstract · Everyday, not technical · Rated G