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.

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 …

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 …

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. …

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.

There is virtually no difference between preventive and preventative. Both words are adjectives that mean, "used to stop something bad from happening." Both words are most often used to …

Feb 24, 2025 · “Preventive” and “preventative” have been used since the 17th century. Most standard dictionaries recognize both, but some usage guides prefer the shorter one.