proactive
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English
Etymology
From pro- + active; originally coined 1933 by Paul Whiteley and Gerald Blankfort in a psychology paper, used in technical sense. Used in a popular context and sense (courage, perseverance) in 1946 book Man’s Search for Meaning by neuropsychiatrist Viktor Emil Frankl, in the context of dealing with the Holocaust, as contrast with reactive.
Pronunciation
Adjective
proactive (comparative more proactive, superlative most proactive)
- Acting in advance to deal with an expected change or difficulty
- We can deal with each problem as it pops up, or we can take a proactive stance and try to prevent future problems.
- 2019 December 4, Andy Coward, “Derby's crowning achievement”, in Rail, page 56:
- Staff are also proactive in approaching any passengers looking as though they need assistance, rather than waiting to be approached.
Usage notes
Some consider proactive to be a buzzword, and it is associated with business-speak.
Depending on use, alternatives include active, preemptive, or “show initiative” instead of “be proactive”.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Derived terms
Related terms
Translations
acting in advance
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References
- The Word Detective, Issue of February 5, 2001
French
Adjective
proactive