Definition of PREVENT

prevent

Verb

Verb Forms: prevented, preventing, prevents

  • To stop something from happening or arising.
  • keep from happening or arising; make impossible
  • stop (someone or something) from doing something or being in a certain state
    • "We must prevent the cancer from spreading"
  • To stop (an outcome); to keep from (doing something).
  • To take preventative measures.
  • To come before; to precede.
  • To outdo, surpass.
  • To be beforehand with; to anticipate.

Examples

  • A good Scrabble player tries to PREVENT opponents from accessing triple word score squares.
  • I brush my teeth regularly to prevent tooth decay.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English preventen (“anticipate”), from Latin praeventus, perfect passive participle of praeveniō (“I anticipate”), from prae (“before”) + veniō (“I come”).

Antonyms

let

Scrabble Score: 12

prevent: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
prevent: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
prevent: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 15

prevent: valid Words With Friends Word