preventive

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 warm coat is preventative: it keeps you from getting cold. Saving your money is preventive because it will keep you from the poorhouse if you lose your job. Most often, this word is used in medicine. Preventive (or preventative) measures keep you from getting sick. Stretching before a workout is preventive, because it can keep you injury-free.

Definitions of preventive
1

adj tending to prevent or hinder

Synonyms:
preventative
blockading
blocking entrance to and exit from seaports and harbors
clogging, hindering, impeding, obstructive
preventing movement
deterrent
tending to deter
frustrating, frustrative, thwarting
preventing realization or attainment of a desire
precautional, precautionary
taken in advance to protect against possible danger or failure
obviating, preclusive
made impossible
pre-emptive, preemptive
designed or having the power to deter or prevent an anticipated situation or occurrence
prohibitive, prohibitory
tending to discourage (especially of prices)
protective
intended or adapted to afford protection of some kind
Antonyms:
permissive
not preventive
bailable
admitting of bail
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adj preventing or contributing to the prevention of disease

“preventive medicine”
Synonyms:
preventative, prophylactic
healthful
conducive to good health of body or mind

n any obstruction that impedes or is burdensome

Synonyms:
encumbrance, hinderance, hindrance, hitch, incumbrance, interference, preventative
Types:
clog
any object that acts as a hindrance or obstruction
speed bump
a hindrance to speeding created by a crosswise ridge in the surface of a roadway
Type of:
impediment, impedimenta, obstructer, obstruction, obstructor
any structure that makes progress difficult

n remedy that prevents or slows the course of an illness or disease

Synonyms:
preventative, prophylactic
Type of:
curative, cure, remedy, therapeutic
a medicine or therapy that cures disease or relieve pain

n an agent or device intended to prevent conception

Synonyms:
birth control device, contraceptive, contraceptive device, preventative, prophylactic device
Types:
show 21 types...
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cervical cap
a contraceptive device consisting of a small thimble-shaped cup that is placed over the uterine cervix to prevent the entrance of spermatozoa
coil
a contraceptive device placed inside a woman's womb
contraceptive diaphragm, diaphragm, pessary
a contraceptive device consisting of a flexible dome-shaped cup made of rubber or plastic; it is filled with spermicide and fitted over the uterine cervix
IUD, intrauterine device
contraceptive device consisting of a piece of bent plastic or metal that is inserted through the vagina into the uterus
morning-after pill
a large dose of estrogen taken orally within 24 to 72 hours after intercourse; prevents implantation of a fertilized ovum and so acts as a contraceptive; commonly used after rape or incest
anovulant, anovulatory drug, birth control pill, contraceptive pill, oral contraceptive, oral contraceptive pill, pill
a contraceptive in the form of a pill containing estrogen and progestin to inhibit ovulation and so prevent conception
spermatocide, spermicide
a contraceptive agent that kills spermatozoa
Demulen
trade name for an oral contraceptive
Enovid
trade name for an oral contraceptive containing mestranol and norethynodrel
Loestrin
trade name for an oral contraceptive containing estradiol and norethindrone
loop
an intrauterine device in the shape of a loop
Lo/Ovral
trade name for an oral contraceptive containing estradiol and norgestrel
Micronor
trade name for and oral contraceptive containing the progestin compound norethindrone
Modicon
trade name for an oral contraceptive containing estradiol and norethindrone
Norinyl
trade name for an oral contraceptive containing norethindrone and mestranol
Norlestrin
trade name for an oral contraceptive containing estradiol and norethindrone
Nor-Q-D
trade name for an oral contraceptive containing norethindrone
Ovocon
trade name for an oral contraceptive containing estradiol and norethindrone
Ovral
trade name for an oral contraceptive containing estradiol and norgestrel
Ovrette
trade name for an oral contraceptive containing norgestrel
Ovulen
trade name for an oral contraceptive containing mestranol and a progestin compound
Type of:
device
an instrumentality invented for a particular purpose

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