Are you arguing with someone about the benefits of staying healthy? You could say “Prevention is better than cure” to describe how your lifestyle stops you from getting sick later in life. This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this proverbial expression.
Meaning
The proverbial expression “prevention is better than cure” means dealing with problems now rather than trying to stop them later. It’s better to “nip something in the bud” before it snowballs into a much bigger problem in the future.
Example Usage
"I don't think we should go there for dinner. I heard people got sick from food poisoning after eating there. Let's stay home and cook. Prevention is better than cure."
"I take my vitamins every day to ensure I stay healthy. I don't want a heart attack later in life. You know what they say. Prevention is better than cure."
"I run every day to keep myself fit and healthy. I don't want to be that old guy Pthat never gets off the couch and dies at an early age. Prevention is better than cure."
"Teaching kids about the horrors of crime and how it impacts people's lives is better than trying to rehabilitate them after they commit a crime. Prevention is better than cure."
"Regularly washing your hands is better than getting sick and going to the hospital for treatment. Prevention is better than cure."
"Getting vaccinated is better than coming down with Dengue Fever and being treated in the emergency room at the hospital. Prevention is better than cure."
"Understanding what your political candidate will do when they're in office is better than voting them in and trying to change it when they're in the job. Prevention is better than cure."
Origin
The proverbial expression "prevention is better than cure" has disputed origins. Some historians suggest the early retention of the phrase is "meet the malady on its way," coined by the Roman poet, Persius in AD 58.
Language experts believe the modern version has roots in the saying from the mid-13th century, "it is better and more useful to meet a problem in time than to seek a remedy after the damage is done."
This precursor phrase eventually evolved into the modern saying, "Prevention is better than cure," in the early 1500s. Desiderius Erasmus, a Dutch Philosopher, gets the credit for coining the term.
Thomas Adams, a clergyman in the Church of England and a published author, was the first to pen the term in English in 1630, where it appears as "Preuention is so much better than healing because it saues the labor of being sicke."
Phrases Similar to Prevention is Better than Cure
- An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.
- Be on the safe side.
- A stitch in time saves nine.
- Butter sure than sorry.
Phrases Opposite to Prevention is Better than Cure
- Fortune favors the brave.
- Skate on thin ice.
What is the Correct Saying?
- Prevention is better than cure.
Ways People May Say Prevention is Better than Cure Incorrectly
The expression "prevention is better than cure" doesn't always refer to health-related issues. It can describe any situation where preventative action deters the need for rectifying behavior later.
Acceptable Ways to Phrase Prevention is Better than Cure
You can use the phrase "prevention is better than cure" when referring to behavior that protects you from future problems or adverse events. For instance, you could say "prevention is better than cure" to describe your behavior of eating right and exercising compared to taking medication for heart problems later in life.
Prevention is better than cure and suits social and professional use. You could use it at work to describe how implementing a network security protocol is better than dealing with the fallout from a ransomware hack. Or you could use it at home to say how setting up an alarm system for your house is better than dealing with the insurance company after a break-in.