Meaning & use
prevent
To stop something from happening or stop someone from doing something.
See it in a sentence
Wearing a helmet can prevent serious head injuries during a bicycle accident.
The new fence was built to prevent deer from entering the vegetable garden.
A note on using this word
Prevent is usually followed by a noun or by 'from' plus a gerund, not a plain infinitive: 'prevent him from leaving,' not 'prevent him to leave.'
Words with a similar meaning
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
allowcause
Make it your own
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