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Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak
CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com
prevent away
Grammar usage guide and real-world examplesUSAGE SUMMARY
The phrase "prevent away" is not correct and not usable in written English.
It is a redundancy, as "prevent" already implies stopping something from happening, making "away" unnecessary. Example: "We need to prevent away any potential issues before they arise."
⚠ May contain grammatical issues
News & Media
Science
Wiki
Table of contents
Usage summary
Human-verified examples
Expert writing tips
Linguistic context
Ludwig's wrap-up
Alternative expressions
FAQs
Human-verified examples from authoritative sources
Exact Expressions
2 human-written examples
The FA hopes doubling the 9,000 seats Poland are entitled to will prevent away fans from buying home tickets.
News & Media
Meanwhile, The Football Association has sold 18,000 tickets to Poland fans - double their entitlement - to prevent away fans from buying tickets among England supporters.
News & Media
Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources
Similar Expressions
57 human-written examples
The South Wales Central AM said: "It is clear that the game's organising body in Wales need to review safeguards preventing away fans from infiltrating home areas.
News & Media
Postdocs, however, often lack comparable opportunities to prevent time away from the lab from weighing against them.
Science & Research
Empirical equations to prevent yielding away from the member ends are developed, and simplifications of these equations are proposed for code adoption.
The Welsh backs repeatedly exposed the three threequarter system used by the English, as once the Welsh backs broke through the pack there was little defensive-cover to prevent run away scores.
Wiki
In general, participants rated the film fragment as moderately stressful and were generally able to prevent looking away during the most threatening moments of the fragment.
Water the small chamomile plants carefully to prevent washing away the seedlings.
Wiki
Use a watering can or spray bottle rather than a strong hose, in order to prevent washing away the tiny poppy seeds.
Wiki
You may like to wear a headband or scarf around your head to prevent fly away hairs from occurring during sleep.
Wiki
This will help prevent fly-aways from falling out of the ponytail during the day.
Wiki
Expert writing Tips
Best practice
When aiming to express the idea of stopping something from happening, use the verb "prevent" alone. The addition of "away" is typically unnecessary and grammatically incorrect. For example, instead of saying "prevent away", simply use "prevent".
Common error
Avoid using "away" after "prevent". The verb "prevent" already includes the meaning of stopping something from moving or happening, so adding "away" creates an unnecessary repetition. Opt for concise and grammatically correct phrasing by using "prevent" on its own.
Source & Trust
81%
Authority and reliability
1.8/5
Expert rating
Real-world application tested
Linguistic Context
The phrase "prevent away" is intended to express the idea of stopping something from happening or moving. However, Ludwig AI flags it as incorrect due to redundancy, as "prevent" already encompasses the meaning of stopping something from going "away".
Frequent in
News & Media
67%
Science
17%
Wiki
16%
Less common in
Formal & Business
0%
Encyclopedias
0%
Social Media
0%
Ludwig's WRAP-UP
In summary, while the phrase "prevent away" appears in some contexts, it is generally considered grammatically incorrect and redundant. As Ludwig AI points out, the verb "prevent" already implies stopping something from happening, making the addition of "away" unnecessary. Therefore, it is best to use "prevent" alone. Although the phrase appears mostly in News & Media, Science, and Wiki sources, its incorrect usage means it should be avoided in formal writing and professional communication. Better alternatives include “"stop"”, “"avert"”, or “"preclude"”, depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.
More alternative expressions(6)
Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:
prevent
Removes the unnecessary "away", using the verb directly.
stop
A simple synonym for "prevent", omitting "away".
avert
A more formal synonym that avoids the redundancy.
preclude
Implies making something impossible, more formal than "prevent".
deter
Discourages or restrains someone from doing something.
avoid
To keep away from or to keep from happening.
block
To impede the movement or progress of.
halt
To bring or come to an abrupt stop.
impede
To delay or prevent something by obstructing them.
obstruct
To block or put obstacles in the way.
FAQs
Is "prevent away" grammatically correct?
No, the phrase "prevent away" is grammatically incorrect. The verb "prevent" already implies stopping something from happening, so adding "away" is redundant.
What can I say instead of "prevent away"?
Instead of "prevent away", use the single verb "prevent". It conveys the same meaning without redundancy.
Is there a difference between "prevent" and "prevent away"?
The phrase "prevent away" is redundant, and while some sources may use it, it is not considered correct English. The verb "prevent" alone is sufficient.
How can I use "prevent" correctly in a sentence?
Use "prevent" followed by the thing you want to stop. For example, "We need to prevent errors" is correct, while "We need to prevent away errors" is not.
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Table of contents
Usage summary
Human-verified examples
Expert writing tips
Linguistic context
Ludwig's wrap-up
Alternative expressions
FAQs
Source & Trust
81%
Authority and reliability
1.8/5
Expert rating
Real-world application tested