- a variation of preemption.
pre-emption
Britishnoun
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law the purchase of or right to purchase property in advance of or in preference to others
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international law the right of a government to intercept and seize for its own purposes goods or property of the subjects of another state while in transit, esp in time of war
Etymology
Origin of pre-emption
C16: from Medieval Latin praeemptiō, from praeemere to buy beforehand, from emere to buy
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
To those of us who have worked in digital assets for years, this is a familiar movie, and we know how damaging the ending can be without federal pre-emption.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 21, 2026
That would allow him to buy Gold's shares under West Ham's pre-emption rights rules - which allow existing shareholders first choice to buy shares when they become available.
From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026
Disputes over the pre-emption question have been working their way through the court system.
From Barron's ● Jan. 29, 2026
Tech industry executives are waiting to see whether Trump follows through on the executive order and whether the pre-emption concept gains traction in Congress.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 20, 2025
We are not aware of any law of the United States recognizing the right of railroad companies to become parties in a contest concerning a homestead or pre-emption right.
From Monopolies and the People by D. C. Cloud
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
