to prevent harm

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "to prevent harm" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when discussing actions or measures taken to avoid causing injury, damage, or negative consequences. Example: "The new safety regulations were implemented to prevent harm to employees in the workplace."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

We will continue taking the greatest care to prevent harm to innocent civilians.

The New York Times

Finally, the enemy should be properly identified in order to prevent harm to innocents.

The New Yorker

"But there is a lot of hard science that tells us how to prevent harm".

The New York Times

"As chancellor, Ms. Merkel swore to prevent harm to the German people," Mr. Steinbrück said.

The New York Times

Legalisation is the best way to prevent harm to users, and to shove the gangs aside.

The Economist

The Italian prosecutors countered that Google had failed to do enough to prevent harm to an innocent child.

The Guardian - Opinion

Realising the lack of any coherent argument for the change, all the government talk is of acting now to prevent harm in the future.

The Guardian - Opinion

Some merchants would want to maximize their cash payments, while others would want to "maximize restraints on network rules to prevent harm in the future," the court wrote.

The New York Times

The judge found that "her mother is in no better position now to prevent harm to CB than she was when CB was removed from her care".

The Guardian - Opinion

In a letter delivered by hand to Magistrate Judge Gabriel W. Gorenstein, prosecutors said the guards were necessary "to prevent harm or flight".

The New York Times

Israel said it would continue to provide the necessary minimum to prevent harm to the safety or health of the residents.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "to prevent harm", clearly specify what action is being taken to achieve this prevention. For example, instead of saying "Measures were taken to prevent harm", state "Safety protocols were implemented to prevent harm to workers".

Common error

Avoid using "to prevent harm" without a clear subject and object. For instance, instead of saying "It was done to prevent harm", specify who or what is being protected from harm and the source of that harm: "The law was enacted to prevent harm to consumers from misleading advertising".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "to prevent harm" functions as an infinitive of purpose. It clarifies the reason or intention behind an action, indicating that something is done with the specific goal of averting damage or injury. Ludwig examples show it describing governmental, medical, and personal actions.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

42%

Science

40%

Wiki

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "to prevent harm" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression intended to specify an action's purpose as avoiding negative outcomes. Ludwig AI classifies it as a purpose connector. Its use spans across various fields like News & Media and Science, maintaining a primarily neutral to professional tone. Ludwig AI also suggests that it’s correct and usable in written English. Alternatives such as "to avoid injury" or "to safeguard against damage" can be used to provide variety, but "to prevent harm" remains a clear and effective choice in many situations. When employing this phrase, ensure you explicitly state what is being protected from what to maintain clarity and precision.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

in order to avert damage

Replaces "prevent harm" with "avert damage", focusing on the action of averting and specifying damage as the negative outcome.

with the intention of safeguarding

Emphasizes the intent of safeguarding, adding a layer of purpose to the act of prevention.

for the sake of ensuring safety

Highlights the goal of ensuring safety, shifting the focus to the positive outcome.

with a view to minimizing risk

Specifies the reduction of risk as the objective, making it more concrete and quantifiable.

to mitigate potential dangers

Replaces "prevent harm" with "mitigate potential dangers", focusing on lessening the impact of dangers.

to protect against adversity

Shifts the focus to protecting against adversity, broadening the scope of what is being prevented.

aiming to preclude detriment

Uses more formal language, replacing common words with "preclude" and "detriment".

so as to forestall injury

Employs a more literary tone, using "forestall" to suggest proactive prevention of injury.

for the purpose of warding off danger

Replaces "prevent harm" with "warding off danger", evoking a sense of actively defending against danger.

to preclude the possibility of negative consequences

Expresses "prevent harm" in a more verbose and detailed manner, focusing on negative consequences.

FAQs

How can I use "to prevent harm" in a sentence?

You can use "to prevent harm" to describe actions taken to avoid negative consequences or injury. For example, "Safety regulations are implemented "to prevent harm" to employees" or "The government issued warnings "to prevent harm" from the contaminated water supply".

What are some alternatives to "to prevent harm"?

Some alternatives include "to avoid injury", "to safeguard against damage", "to mitigate risk", or "to ensure safety", depending on the specific context.

Is it better to use "to prevent harm" or "to avoid harm"?

Both "to prevent harm" and "to avoid harm" are grammatically correct and have similar meanings. The choice between them depends on the specific context and desired emphasis. "Prevent" implies taking proactive measures, while "avoid" suggests steering clear of potential harm.

What's the difference between "to prevent harm" and "to minimize harm"?

"To prevent harm" suggests stopping harm from occurring at all, while "to minimize harm" implies reducing the extent or impact of harm that may still occur. "To minimize harm" is often used when complete prevention is not possible.