proactive

[proh-ak-tiv] /proʊˈæk tɪv/
adjective
1.
serving to prepare for, intervene in, or control an expected occurrence or situation, especially a negative or difficult one; anticipatory:
proactive measures against crime.
Origin
1930-35; pro-1 + active
Related forms
proactive, noun
proactivity, proactiveness, noun
proactively, adverb
Can be confused
proactive, reactionary, reactive.
Examples from the web for proactive
  • If you're having a hard time resolving a problem, take a proactive approach and (politely) suggest a solution.
  • When the job market is tight, we need to be proactive.
  • The airports say they had few stranded passengers as airlines' proactive cancellations and news reports kept travelers away.
  • My wife and I decided to be proactive -- and selective -- in my job search.
  • But proactive maneuvers such as providing a cell phone lounge in restaurants may help mitigate cell wars.
  • It would have been proactive to have read the 17 pages.
  • You are also going to have to be proactive in writing to people.
  • While they claim they never received complaints from the passenger, they should have been more proactive in helping her out.
  • The regulator wants to become more proactive in spotting problems with the strategies of individual firms.
  • It's a very powerful proactive way to deal with health.
British Dictionary definitions for proactive

proactive

/prəʊˈæktɪv/
adjective
1.
tending to initiate change rather than reacting to events
2.
(psychol) of or denoting a mental process that affects a subsequent process
Word Origin
C20: from pro-² + (re)active
Word Origin and History for proactive
adj.

also pro-active, of persons or policies, as an opposition to reactive, 1921, from pro- + active. From 1933, in psychology (learning theory). Related: Proactively; proactiveness; proactivity.