preventative

Everyday

1. Preventative means meant to stop something bad from happening before it starts, such as illness, damage or crime. tree →
2. A preventative is something used to prevent a problem, such as a medicine or treatment. tree →

In the lessons

In health and science lessons, «preventative medicine» includes vaccines, healthy eating and brushing teeth. In safety and money lessons, preventative steps (like checking a bike) save trouble later. Phrases: «preventative measures», «preventative medicine», «preventative care», «as a preventative».

Examples

• Brushing your teeth is a preventative measure against tooth decay. tree →
• The vet gave the dog a preventative treatment for fleas. tree →
• Vaccines are preventative medicine. tree →
• We took preventative steps and tied down the trampoline before the storm. tree →
• Sun cream is a preventative against sunburn. tree →
• Regular check-ups are preventative care. tree →

Note

«Preventative» and «preventive» mean the same; «preventive» is more common in American English and in science writing. Related: prevent, prevention. Saying "prevention is better than cure" means stopping problems early is better than fixing them later.