pre-emptive

British

/ prɪˈɛmptɪv /

adjective

of, involving, or capable of pre-emption
bridge (of a high bid) made to shut out opposition bidding
military designed to reduce or destroy an enemy's attacking strength before it can use it

a pre-emptive strike

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

pre-emptively adverb

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.

The trees were felled "as a pre-emptive action" for a future development proposal to extend the premises at the site.

From BBC • Apr. 2, 2026

This time, central banks are taking a more pre-emptive approach.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026

She said the US defence department took "pre-emptive planning measures" as a result of that report.

From BBC • Mar. 18, 2026

Because of its small territory, Israel built its national security around a doctrine of "offensive defence", relying on pre-emptive, long-range strikes against enemy targets, she said.

From Barron's • Mar. 6, 2026

Massachusetts reserved this right in the sale of her pre-emptive title.

From An Account of Sa-Go-Ye-Wat-Ha, or Red Jacket, and His People, 1750-1830 by Hubbard, John Niles

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023