What does “prevent” mean?
- 1
verbto stop something from happening or someone from doing something
Washing your hands helps prevent illness.
Prevent at a glance
- Part of speech
- verb
- CEFR level
- B1 (intermediate)
- Pronunciation
- /prɪˈvɛnt/ · prih-VENT
How to use “prevent” correctly
Use “prevent someone from doing”, not “prevent someone to do”: “The rain prevented us from going out.”
Common phrases with “prevent”
- prevent sb from doing sth
- prevent accidents
- help prevent
Synonyms, opposites and related words
Word family
- prevention
- preventive
- preventable
“prevent” is on these word lists
Learn these words next
- affect verbB1to cause a change in someone or something
- appear verbB1to seem
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- beat verbB1to win against someone in a game or competition
- cause verbB1to make something happen, usually something bad
- involve verbB1to include something as a necessary part
- lay verbB1to put someone or something down carefully in a flat position
- occur verbB1to happen, especially without being planned