They are both adjectives that mean "used to stop something bad from happening." Both words are commonly used in contexts concerning health care, as in "preventive/preventative medicine." …

PREVENTIVE definition: 1. intended to stop something before it happens: 2. intended to stop something before it happens…. Learn more.

PREVENTIVE definition: of or noting a drug, vaccine, etc., for preventing disease; prophylactic. See examples of preventive used in a sentence.

Anything preventive hinders or stops something, especially diseases. When you prevent something, you stop it from happening. Likewise, anything preventive is used to ward off a bad outcome. Wearing a …

2 days ago · preventive (comparative more preventive, superlative most preventive) Preventing, hindering, or acting as an obstacle to. quotations

Definition of preventive adjective in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

Preventive actions are intended to help prevent things such as disease or crime. Too much is spent on curative medicine and too little on preventive medicine.

May 21, 2019 · Preventative means “helping to prevent or hinder.” Though it often refers to medicine, you can also use it to talk about other things that you try to stop from happening. And in noun form, it …

Nov 27, 2025 · Preventive and preventative medicine both refer to medical practices that aim to prevent disease and promote health. There is no difference between the two terms, and they can be used …

Oct 7, 2024 · The adjectives preventive and preventative both mean “intended to prevent,” and they are used interchangeably in both American and British English. Preventive is used more frequently than …