prevent

verb

(transitive) To stop (an outcome); to keep from (doing something).

(intransitive, now rare) To take preventative measures.

(obsolete, transitive) To come before; to precede.

(obsolete, transitive) To outdo, surpass.

(obsolete, transitive) To be beforehand with; to anticipate.

Roots

praepre- · Latin · before, in front venio-vent · Latin · come

Synonyms for prevent

forestallv precludev forbidv deterv avertv thwartv avoidv impedev debarv hinderv discouragev obviatev obstructv prohibitv inhibitv mitigatev restrainv

Synonyms & related words for prevent

Find synonyms, related words, and the definition of prevent — including forestall, preclude, forbid, deter, avert, thwart. Dendril is a free visual thesaurus that shows them on an interactive map where stronger matches sit closer to the center — no signup, no ads.

Words related to prevent

Explore words related to prevent — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include keep, forestallment, impeder, forfend, dissuade, prevention, dissuader, obviation. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Synonyms for prevent

Common synonyms for prevent include forestall, preclude, forbid, deter, avert, thwart, avoid, impede — words that share a close meaning. Hover or tap any word on the map for its definition and part of speech.

Where does prevent come from?

The word prevent breaks down into 2 roots of Latin origin: pre-, from Latin prae (“before, in front”); and -vent, from Latin venio (“come”). Explore each root to see other English words built from the same source.