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prevent

The verb prevent means "to keep something from happening," like when you use a complicated password to prevent hackers from accessing your account.

Prevent comes from the Latin word praeventus, meaning "to act in anticipation of," like when you shovel the icy, snow-covered sidewalk to prevent people from falling. Prevent can also mean "to make impossible," like when a school locks the doors during a dance to prevent kids from leaving without their parents knowing.

DEFINITIONS OF: prevent

1

v keep from happening or arising; make impossible

Synonyms:
forbid, foreclose, forestall, preclude
Types:
show 16 types...
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make unnecessary, save
make unnecessary an expenditure or effort
avert, avoid, debar, deflect, fend off, forefend, forfend, head off, obviate, stave off, ward off
prevent the occurrence of; prevent from happening
block, blockade, embarrass, hinder, obstruct, stymie, stymy
hinder or prevent the progress or accomplishment of
baffle, bilk, cross, foil, frustrate, queer, scotch, spoil, thwart
hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of
block, halt, kibosh, stop
stop from happening or developing
stonewall
obstruct or hinder any discussion
disappoint, let down
fail to meet the hopes or expectations of
embargo
prevent commerce
filibuster
obstruct deliberately by delaying
check
block or impede (a player from the opposing team) in ice hockey
hang
prevent from reaching a verdict, of a jury
bottleneck
slow down or impede by creating an obstruction
dash
destroy or break
short-circuit
hamper the progress of; impede
ruin
destroy or cause to fail
stay
stop a judicial process

v stop (someone or something) from doing something or being in a certain state

“We must prevent the cancer from spreading”
Synonyms:
keep
keep
hold and prevent from leaving
Antonyms:
allow, let, permit
make it possible through a specific action or lack of action for something to happen
Types:
show 20 types...
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defend
be on the defensive; act against an attack
exclude, keep out, shut, shut out
prevent from entering; shut out
hold
keep from departing
keep away
prevent from coming close
blank
keep the opposing (baseball) team from winning
hinder, impede
be a hindrance or obstacle to
rain out, wash out
prevent or interrupt due to rain
curse, excommunicate, unchurch
exclude from a church or a religious community
bulwark
defend with a bulwark
protect
shield from danger, injury, destruction, or damage
ward off
avert, turn away, or repel
arrest, check, contain, hold back, stop, turn back
hold back, as of a danger or an enemy; check the expansion or influence of
block, close up, impede, jam, obstruct, obturate, occlude
block passage through
lock out
prevent employees from working during a strike
inhibit
limit, block, or decrease the action or function of
interfere
come between so as to be hindrance or obstacle
set back
slow down the progress of; hinder
hobble
hamper the action or progress of
stunt
check the growth or development of
ostracise, ostracize
avoid speaking to or dealing with
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