Cool MateHinder vs Prevent
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Hinder
Top 5,000 (fairly common)B1verb
Prevent
Top 1,000 (very common)A2verb
Most common: Prevent
| Hinder | Prevent | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //ˈhɪndər//🇺🇸 //ˈhɪndər// | 🇬🇧 /["/prɪˈvent/","/prɪˈvents/","/prɪˈventɪd/","/prɪˈventɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/prɪˈvent/","/prɪˈvents/","/prɪˈventɪd/","/prɪˈventɪŋ/"]/ |
| Meaning | To make something difficult or slow down progress. | To stop something from happening. |
| Example | The heavy rain will hinder our ability to drive safely. | We need to prevent accidents on the road. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 5,000 (fairly common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| CEFR level | B1 | A2 |
| Part of speech | verb | verb |
| Collocations | hinder progress, hinder development, hinder efforts | effectively, reliably, successfully, be able to, be unable to, can, from, aimed at preventing something, action to prevent something, measures to prevent something |
| Antonyms | assist, help, facilitate | allow, permit, facilitate |
| Common mistakes | Confusing with 'prevent', which means to stop something completely., Using 'hinder' without an object, which makes it grammatically incorrect., Overusing in casual conversation; it's better suited for formal writing. | Incorrectly using 'prevent' without an object, e.g., 'prevent from accidents' instead of 'prevent accidents from happening'., Using the wrong preposition, like 'prevent to' instead of 'prevent from'., Confusing 'prevent' with 'avoid'; 'prevent' is more about stopping something from occurring. |
| Usage notes | Commonly used in both formal and informal contexts to describe obstacles or setbacks. Avoid using for minor inconveniences. | Use 'prevent' when discussing actions that stop negative events. It is neutral, appropriate for everyday conversation. Avoid in very formal writing; use 'prohibit' or 'forbid' instead. |
Frequently asked questions: Hinder vs Prevent
What's the difference between Hinder and Prevent?
Hinder: To make something difficult or slow down progress. Prevent: To stop something from happening.
Which is more common: Hinder and Prevent?
Prevent is the most common in everyday English.
Are Hinder and Prevent the same CEFR level?
Hinder: B1, Prevent: A2 on the CEFR scale.
Can I use Hinder and Prevent interchangeably?
Not always. Hinder and Prevent are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.