English

Adjective

proactive ‎(comparative more proactive, superlative most proactive)

1. 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.

Usage notes

Some consider proactive to be a buzzword, and it is associated with business-speak.^[3]

Depending on use, alternatives include active, or “show initiative” instead of “be proactive”.

Synonyms

• anticipatory
• forward-looking

Antonyms

• reactive

Derived terms

• proactively
• proactivity
• proactiveness

Related terms

• proact
• proactor

Translations

References

1. ↑ OED
2. ↑ Whiteley, Paul L.; Blankfort, Gerald (1933), “The Influence of Certain Prior Conditions Upon Learning”, Journal of Experimental Psychology (APA) 16: 843–851
3. ↑ The good grammar guide, by Richard Palmer, 2003, p. 157

• The Word Detective, Issue of February 5, 2001

French

Adjective

proactive

1. feminine singular of proactif