prevent ourselves

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "prevent ourselves" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing actions or behaviors that one is trying to avoid or stop oneself from doing. Example: "We must find ways to prevent ourselves from making the same mistakes in the future."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

30 human-written examples

"We couldn't prevent ourselves from breaking down in tears," he said.

Independent

"At that point the wind came again and we were all forced to the floor to prevent ourselves from being blown away.

Independent

We prevent ourselves from discussing the economic opportunities, or lack thereof, that may have played a role in the slight uptick in teenage pregnancy during these last few years of recession.

The Economist

Something has to be done quickly to stop this carnage in the world and for the Muslims to stem the downward slide, if we are to prevent ourselves from being marginalized.

Yale University

My concern is that in an effort to defend ourselves from idiots like Trump, we will prevent ourselves from being able to hear and take in the reasoned calls for reform of others (including yourself).

University of California, Berkeley

As I wrote at the time: "If we start to doubt corroborated facts, how can we prevent ourselves being swallowed up in doubt, unable to trust anything we see?

The Guardian - Opinion

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

30 human-written examples

In this region, one inevitably moves towards the singularity; the impossibility of avoiding the singularity is exactly like the impossibility of preventing ourselves from moving forward in time.

SEP

If so, you may be using negativity to cover up feelings of inadequacy or envy, and when we're focusing on why someone else shouldn't be getting ahead, we're preventing ourselves from moving forward.

HuffPost

How do we avoid containing ourselves in echo chambers and prevent polarizing ourselves into our respective bubbles?

HuffPost

By examining how we might have played a role in creating our experiences, we can learn and prevent finding ourselves in the same situation again in the future.

Forbes

Human beings don't readily accept defeat, but we can prevent ourselves from feeling defeated by keeping our goals small, manageable and realistic.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "prevent ourselves", ensure the context clearly indicates what action or outcome you are trying to avoid. For clarity, specify the potential negative consequence you're guarding against.

Common error

Avoid using "prevent ourselves" in overly broad or vague contexts. Instead, specify the particular action or outcome being prevented to give the sentence more impact and clarity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "prevent ourselves" functions as a reflexive verb phrase. It indicates an action taken to stop something from happening to the subject. Ludwig AI confirms that the phrase is grammatically correct and is used in various contexts to indicate self-preservation or avoidance of a negative outcome.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Academia

12%

Formal & Business

6%

Less common in

Science

7%

Reference

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "prevent ourselves" is a grammatically sound and commonly used expression to indicate taking actions to avoid a negative outcome. As verified by Ludwig AI, it is often used in contexts requiring a proactive stance against potential issues, offering guidance, or discussing self-preservation. While predominantly found in news and media, the phrase is also present in academic, formal business, and scientific writing. When using "prevent ourselves", specifying the potential action is important for clarity. Alternatives like "inhibit ourselves" or "restrain ourselves" can provide nuanced alternatives depending on the context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

inhibit ourselves

Focuses more on restraining an impulse or natural tendency.

restrain ourselves

Emphasizes the act of consciously holding back or controlling one's actions.

avoid doing something

Shifts the focus to avoiding a specific action rather than a general state.

stop doing something

More direct and action-oriented, indicating a cessation of activity.

refrain from doing something

Highlights deliberate self-control in abstaining from an action.

keep ourselves from

Implies an effort to maintain distance or separation from something.

guard against

Emphasizes being cautious and taking measures to protect oneself from a potential threat.

shield ourselves from

Suggests actively protecting oneself from harm or negative influences.

steer clear of

Suggests navigating away from potentially harmful situations or influences

evade something

Emphasizes dodging or escaping a negative outcome or situation.

FAQs

How can I use "prevent ourselves" in a sentence?

You can use "prevent ourselves" to express the idea of stopping or avoiding something for oneself. For example: "We must find ways to prevent ourselves from making the same mistakes in the future."

What are some alternatives to "prevent ourselves"?

You can use alternatives like "inhibit ourselves", "restrain ourselves", or "avoid doing something" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "prevent us" instead of "prevent ourselves"?

Using "prevent us" is grammatically correct, but it changes the meaning. "Prevent ourselves" indicates preventing something that affects the speaker(s) directly, while "prevent us" implies preventing something that affects a larger group. Thus, they are not interchangeable.

How does "prevent ourselves" differ from "protect ourselves"?

"Prevent ourselves" implies stopping something from happening in the first place. "Protect ourselves", on the other hand, suggests defending against something that is already happening or is likely to happen. The focus shifts from stopping an event to mitigating its effects.