What is the meaning of the word "proactive"?

Definitions:

  1. controlling a situation by causing something to happen rather than waiting to respond to it after it happens copy to clipboard adjective
    • We took a proactive stance on abusive behaviour. copy to clipboard
  2. descriptive of any event or stimulus or process that has an effect on events or stimuli or processes that occur subsequently copy to clipboard adjective
    • proactive inhibition copy to clipboard