prevent us from

USAGE SUMMARY

'prevent us from' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it whenever you need to describe something that someone or something is hindering someone else from doing. For example: "The windy weather prevented us from going to the beach."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"But that doesn't prevent us from using it right now as it is".

TechCrunch

But it does not prevent us from eating them.

The New Yorker

Trepidation should not prevent us from achieving those gains.

The Guardian

Fear and greed prevent us from making good decisions.

The Guardian - Opinion

"They were here to prevent us from doing our work".

The New York Times

These myths prevent us from engaging with climate change.

The Guardian - Opinion

They just don't prevent us from doing so.

The New York Times - Magazine

And sometimes our hopes prevent us from seeing the reality".

The New York Times

"The constraints are considerable: they prevent us from borrowing certain works and prevent us from getting certain exhibitions".

The New York Times

They prevent us from the most important things.

Harvard Business Review

Moreover, while the lack of allied support won't prevent us from getting into a war with Iraq, it may prevent us from getting out.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "prevent us from", ensure that the subject causing the prevention is clearly identified to avoid ambiguity. For example, "The heavy rain prevented us from having a picnic" is clearer than "We were prevented from having a picnic".

Common error

Overuse of the passive voice with "prevent us from" can create vague sentences. To avoid this, actively state the cause of prevention rather than leaving it implied. For example, instead of "Mistakes prevent us from achieving success", try "Carelessness prevents us from achieving success".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "prevent us from" functions as a verb phrase used to express hindrance or obstruction. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's a common expression used to describe something stopping a group of people from performing an action.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Academia

30%

Science

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Reference

3%

Encyclopedias

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "prevent us from" is a common and grammatically sound way to express that something is hindering a group of people from doing something. As Ludwig AI points out, it is widely used across different contexts, from formal academic writing to news reports and informal conversations. While alternatives like "stop us from" or "keep us from" exist, "prevent us from" provides a clear and effective way to communicate obstruction, ensuring your message is easily understood. Remember to clearly identify what is causing the prevention to avoid ambiguity and to be mindful of passive voice constructions to maintain clarity in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

stop us from

Replaces "prevent" with "stop", a more informal synonym.

hinder us from

Substitutes "prevent" with "hinder", suggesting a less complete obstruction.

keep us from

Uses "keep" instead of "prevent", implying a continuous action of obstruction.

prohibit us from

Replaces "prevent" with "prohibit", indicating a formal or legal restriction.

obstruct us from

Substitutes "prevent" with "obstruct", emphasizing the act of blocking or impeding.

impede us from

Replaces "prevent" with "impede", suggesting a slowing down rather than a complete stop.

deter us from

Substitutes "prevent" with "deter", focusing on discouraging through fear or doubt.

discourage us from

Uses "discourage" instead of "prevent", highlighting a reduction in enthusiasm.

restrain us from

Replaces "prevent" with "restrain", implying a holding back or controlling force.

inhibit us from

Substitutes "prevent" with "inhibit", suggesting a psychological or internal barrier.

FAQs

How can I use "prevent us from" in a sentence?

You can use "prevent us from" to indicate that something is stopping a group of people from doing something. For example, "The bad weather "prevented us from" going to the beach".

What is a more formal alternative to "prevent us from"?

A more formal alternative to "prevent us from" could be "prohibit us from", which suggests a formal or legal restriction.

How is "prevent us from" different from "keep us from"?

"Prevent us from" suggests a one-time action that stops something, while "keep us from" implies a continuous action that obstructs something over time.

Can "hinder us from" be used interchangeably with "prevent us from"?

While similar, "hinder us from" suggests a less complete obstruction compared to "prevent us from". Hinder implies making something more difficult, not necessarily impossible.