proactively
/prəʊˈæk.tɪv.li/ IELTSAcademic
adverb
In a way that takes action before a problem happens or before others ask. It means you do something early, to prevent trouble or improve a result.
- We should proactively fix the issue now.
- She proactively asked for feedback.
- The company proactively updated its safety rules.
Adinary Nuance
Proactively is not just “actively.” It means you act early, before a problem grows or before someone tells you to act. Use it when you want to stress planning, initiative, and prevention. In business writing, it often sounds more polished than simply saying “early” or “ahead of time.”
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- chủ động
- Spanish
- proactivamente
- Chinese
- 主动地
- Japanese
- 先回りして
- Korean
- 선제적으로
Etymology
Proactively comes from proactive, which appeared in English in the mid-20th century. It combines Latin pro- meaning “before” or “forward” with active.
Common phrases
proactively addressproactively manageproactively planproactively communicate
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is proactively formal or informal?
- It is fairly formal and common in business, academic, and workplace English.
- What is the difference between proactively and actively?
- Actively means doing something with energy. Proactively means acting before problems happen.
- Can I use proactively in speaking?
- Yes. It sounds natural in meetings, interviews, and professional conversations.
- What verb often goes with proactively?
- Common verbs are address, manage, plan, and communicate.