prevent

/prəˈvɛnt/

/prɪˈvɛnt/

Other forms: prevented; preventing; prevents

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. verb

   keep from happening or arising; make impossible
   synonyms: forbid, foreclose, forestall, preclude, preempt

   types:

   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, confound, cross, foil, frustrate, queer, scotch, scuttle, 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
2. verb

   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:

   let

   make it possible through a specific action or lack of action for something to happen

   types:

   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

   preempt

   take action to prevent someone else from acting

   curse, excommunicate, unchurch

   exclude from a church or a religious community

   bulwark

   defend with a bulwark

   protect, secure

   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 a 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