prevents against

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "prevents against" is not correct in standard written English.
The correct expression is "prevents" or "protects against," depending on the context. Example: "The vaccine prevents the spread of the virus."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

19 human-written examples

"I think the real jackpot would be to have an effective, contraceptive method that also prevents against STIs that would be an alternative to condoms," says Stephenson.

The Guardian

seed (NS) has positive modulation effects on aged rats with memory impairments, prevents against hippocampal pyramidal cell loss and enhances consolidation of recall capability of stored information and spatial memory in rats.

Journal of Ethnopharmacology

The USB Condom prevents against these sort of attacks by blocking the USB connectors data pins (used to transfer information on and off the phone) but leaving the power pins free (these are the ones that do the actual charging).

Independent

Wine in stock, particularly wine meant to age for several years, prevents against a shortage if a pattern of low yields, such as the experience of the European Union in 2017, continues as the trend.

Forbes

Vaccination prevents against certain bacterial and viral pneumonias both in children and adults.

Wikipedia

How well a company manages such events not only prevents against unwarranted damage to its reputation, but also adds value in its own right.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

41 human-written examples

How might statins prevent against melanomas?

The New York Times

can effectively prevent against an FFD-based privacy attack.

Data & Knowledge Engineering

We have vaccines to prevent against infections from Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and Neisseria meningitidis.

Harvard University

I remember when I first heard about a vaccine that could prevent against cervical cancer.

The Guardian

Further, CJC-1131 prevented against Aβ1-42-induced suppression of hippocampal long term potentiation (LTP).

Behavioural Brain Research

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use the more grammatically sound alternatives like "protects against" or simply "prevents". This ensures clarity and credibility in your writing.

Common error

The phrase "prevents against" is redundant because "prevents" already implies action taken to stop something from happening. Therefore, using "against" is unnecessary and weakens the sentence.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "prevents against" functions as a verb phrase aiming to express the action of stopping something from happening. However, Ludwig AI points out that it is considered grammatically incorrect due to redundancy.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

38%

News & Media

38%

Wiki

13%

Less common in

Academia

11%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "prevents against" appears in various sources, Ludwig AI deems it grammatically incorrect due to redundancy. The expression is used to express the idea of stopping something undesirable from happening, but the word "prevents" already implies this meaning, making "against" unnecessary. More appropriate alternatives include "prevents" or "protects against". Usage is common across Science and News & Media, but due to the grammatical issue, it should be avoided in formal writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

prevents

A more concise and grammatically standard alternative, omitting "against" for directness.

protects against

Emphasizes shielding or defending from a specific threat or harm.

guards against

Suggests a vigilant approach to preventing something, implying careful monitoring.

defends against

Highlights active resistance to an attacking force or negative influence.

shields from

Focuses on creating a barrier to block something from reaching or affecting something else.

counteracts

Implies taking action to neutralize or offset the effects of something harmful.

wards off

Suggests repelling or deflecting something undesirable, often used for diseases or attacks.

averts

Emphasizes the successful avoidance of a potential disaster or negative outcome.

mitigates

Highlights reducing the severity or impact of something negative.

obviates

Focuses on eliminating the need for something, thereby preventing a problem or issue.

FAQs

What's a more grammatically correct way to say "prevents against"?

The phrase "prevents against" is redundant. It's better to use "prevents" or "protects against".

Is "prevents against" ever correct?

While you might find "prevents against" in some sources, it's generally considered grammatically incorrect. Stick to "prevents" or "protects against" for clearer communication.

What's the difference between "prevents" and "prevents against"?

"Prevents" means to stop something from happening. Adding "against" is redundant because the action of preventing already implies opposition. Therefore, "prevents" is the preferred and more concise option.

When should I use "protects against" instead of "prevents"?

"Protects against" emphasizes shielding or defending from a specific threat. While "prevents" is a general term for stopping something, "protects against" highlights the defensive action taken.