preemptive strike

American  

noun

Military.

1. an attack against an enemy in response to an obvious threat of attack by that enemy: because preemptive strikes are prompted more by clearly imminent danger than by speculation, they generally are considered acceptable in international law.

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preemptive strike Cultural  

1. A first-strike attack with nuclear weapons carried out to destroy an enemy's capacity to respond. A preemptive strike is based on the assumption that the enemy is planning an imminent attack.

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Etymology

Origin of preemptive strike

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

preemptive strike

The Philippine central bank raised rates in a preemptive strike against mounting inflation risks fueled by the war in the Middle East.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 23, 2026

“But the preemptive strike in the whole thing was Mike and the walk, which was huge. He set the whole table for us.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 28, 2025

Israeli government officials called the move a "preemptive strike" in an emergency message to citizens.

From Salon ● Jun. 13, 2025

When operated together with South Korea’s so-called three-axis system - preemptive strike, missile defense and retaliatory assets - experts say spy satellites will significantly boost the country’s defense against North Korea.

From Washington Times ● Dec. 1, 2023

The next morning, as another thousand children between the ages of six and eighteen gathered at a church to march, Connor unleashed a furious preemptive strike.

From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson