Preventive vs Preventative | Difference & Meaning

Preventive and preventative mean the same thing and are used interchangeably, but since most style guides recommend “preventive,” it’s the better choice for formal writing (e.g., academic writing).

  • The adjectives preventive and preventative both mean “intended to prevent,” and they are used interchangeably in both American and British English.
  • Preventive is used more frequently than preventative, especially in writing.
  • In spoken English, preventative is more common in the UK than it is in the US.
Preventive vs preventative in a sentence examples
The company has put in place preventive/preventative measures to avoid similar data breaches in the future.

Despite clear signs of financial instability, the CFO failed to take preventive/preventative action to avert the situation.

Preventive or preventative care

Preventive care (not “preventative care”) is the standard term for health services like screening tests and vaccinations that help prevent health problems. These types of health care interventions are also referred to as “preventive health care” and “preventive services.”

Preventive care in a sentence example
Health plans are required to cover the costs of preventive care such as annual check-ups.

Preventive or preventative maintenance

Preventive maintenance (not “preventative maintenance”) is the standard term for the regular servicing of equipment and IT systems in order to keep them running smoothly and efficiently and to prevent breakdowns or crashes.

Preventive maintenance in a sentence example
Cutting costs by reducing preventive maintenance often leads to increased overall costs due to equipment failures and downtime.

Frequently asked questions about preventive vs preventative

What does prevention mean?

The noun prevention describes actions and measures designed to stop something from happening, particularly in order to avoid a negative outcome or to reduce risk.

In the field of health care, “prevention” is sometimes used as a synonym for the term “preventive health care” when referring to policies, initiatives, and interventions aimed at reducing the risk of illness and disease.

Prevention in a sentence examples
The government’s new health policies focus on prevention by promoting access to vaccinations and preventive services.

Residents are calling for new prevention measures following the devastation of the floods.

On a related note, although you can use the adjectives preventive or preventative interchangeably to mean “intended to prevent,” many style guides recommend using “preventive” as it’s shorter and more commonly used, particularly in formal writing.

Have you tried QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker? You can use it to check if you’re using “prevention” correctly in your text.

What is a synonym for prevent?

Synonyms for prevent include:

  • Avoid
  • Deter
  • Stop
  • Avert
  • Preclude

On a related note, you can use the adjectives preventive or preventative interchangeably to mean “intended to prevent,” although many style guides recommend using “preventive” because it is more concise and used more frequently, especially in formal writing.

Use QuillBot’s free Paraphraser to help you find the best synonym for “prevent” in your specific context.

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Tom Challenger, BA

Tom holds a teaching diploma and is an experienced English language teacher, teacher trainer, and translator. He has taught university courses and worked as a teacher trainer on Cambridge CELTA courses.