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Preemptive vs Preventative - What's the difference?

preemptive | preventative |

As adjectives the difference between preemptive and preventative

is that preemptive is while preventative is .

As a noun preventative is

.

preemptive

English

Alternative forms

* * pre-emptive

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Of or relating to preemption.
  • Made so as to deter an anticipated unpleasant situation.
  • (bridge, of a high-level bid) Intended to interfere with an opponent's bidding.

    • Derived terms

    * preemptive strike * preemptively

    preventative

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • *1920, Lillien Jane Martin, Mental hygiene: two years' experience of a clinical psychologist , Warwick &York (1920), p. 78,
  • *:"That part of mental hygiene which has a prophylactic character falls into two classes, group preventative mental hygiene […]"
  • *1968, G. Anthony Wedge, N. A. P.: New American Party , Geddes Press Printers (1968), p. 155,
  • *:"Preventative defense comes in two flavors […]"
  • *2006, Robert Thompson and Barbara Fritchman Thompson, Repairing & Upgrading Your PC , O'Reilly (2006), p. 70,
  • *:"The goals of preventative maintenance are to reduce the likelihood of hardware failures, […]"

    • Noun

    (en noun)

    • Usage notes

    *Preventative'' is in all senses synonymous with ''preventive''. Many speakers prefer to use ''preventative'' in noun senses and ''preventive in adjective senses.[http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/nonerrors.html
  • preventive]