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Prevent vs. Protect — What's the Difference?

Prevent vs. Protect — What's the Difference?

Difference Between Prevent and Protect

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Compare with Definitions

Prevent

Keep (something) from happening
Action must be taken to prevent further accidents

Protect

To keep from being damaged, attacked, stolen, or injured; guard.

Prevent

(of God) go before (someone) with spiritual guidance and help.

Protect

To keep from being subjected to difficulty or unpleasantness
A mother who wanted to protect her children from the troubles she had seen when growing up.

Prevent

To keep from happening; avert
Took steps to prevent the strike.
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Protect

To keep from being curtailed or exposed to risk
The reporter vowed to protect the privacy of his sources.

Prevent

To keep (a person or thing) from doing something; impede
Prevented us from winning.
Prevented the disease from spreading.

Protect

To help (domestic industry) with tariffs or quotas on imported goods.

Prevent

To anticipate or counter in advance.

Protect

To assure payment of (drafts or notes, for example) by setting aside funds.

Prevent

To come before; precede.

Protect

(Sports) To attempt to hold (a lead) by playing careful defense and avoiding risky plays.

Prevent

To present an obstacle
There will be a picnic if nothing prevents.

Protect

To swing at a pitch near (home plate) in order to avoid being called out on strikes.

Prevent

(transitive) To stop (an outcome); to keep from (doing something).
I brush my teeth regularly to prevent tooth decay.

Protect

To swing at a pitch so as to give (a base runner) a better chance of advancing.

Prevent

To take preventative measures.

Protect

(ambitransitive) To keep safe; to defend; to guard; to prevent harm coming to.
To protect a child from danger
This antivirus package will protect your computer from hackers.
Condoms are designed to protect against sexually-transmitted diseases.

Prevent

To come before; to precede.

Protect

To book a passenger on a later flight if there is a chance they will not be able to board their earlier reserved flight.

Prevent

To outdo, surpass.

Protect

To cover or shield from danger or injury; to defend; to guard; to preserve in safety; as, a father protects his children.
The gods of Greece protect you!

Prevent

To be beforehand with; to anticipate.

Protect

Shield from danger, injury, destruction, or damage;
Weatherbeater protects your roof from the rain

Prevent

To go before; to precede; hence, to go before as a guide; to direct.
We which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
We pray thee that thy grace may always prevent and follow us.
Then had I come, preventing Sheba's queen.

Protect

Use tariffs to favor domestic industry

Prevent

To be beforehand with; to anticipate.
Their ready guilt preventing thy commands.

Prevent

To intercept; to hinder; to frustrate; to stop; to thwart.
Perhaps forestalling night prevented them.

Prevent

To come before the usual time.
Strawberries . . . will prevent and come early.

Prevent

Keep from happening or arising; have the effect of preventing;
My sense of tact forbids an honest answer

Prevent

Prevent from doing something or being in a certain state;
We must prevent the cancer from spreading
His snoring kept me from falling asleep
Keep the child from eating the marbles

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