pre-emptive
Britishadjective
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of, involving, or capable of pre-emption
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bridge (of a high bid) made to shut out opposition bidding
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military designed to reduce or destroy an enemy's attacking strength before it can use it
a pre-emptive strike
Other Word Forms
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.
Carney’s experience mirrors that of leaders from Brussels to Mexico City, where pre-emptive compromises have failed to buy immunity from Washington’s trade wrath.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
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
Imperial Japan launched a pre-emptive attack on the key US Pacific base in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941, hoping to strike a decisive blow before an expected US entry into World War II.
From Barron's ● Mar. 19, 2026
The object was to buy the Indian title, as they had already brought the pre-emptive right.
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
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
