preempt
or pre-empt
[pree-empt]
- to occupy (land) in order to establish a prior right to buy.
- to acquire or appropriate before someone else; take for oneself; arrogate: a political issue preempted by the opposition party.
- to take the place of because of priorities, reconsideration, rescheduling, etc.; supplant: The special newscast preempted the usual television program.
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- Bridge. to make a preemptive bid.
- to forestall or prevent (something anticipated) by acting first; preclude; head off: an effort to preempt inflation.
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- Bridge. a preemptive bid.
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Origin of preempt
Synonyms
See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.comDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Related Words
confiscateacquireexpropriateseizeassumearrogateanticipatecommandeerappropriateobtainbumpsequestertakeusurpannexaccroachExamples from the Web for preempting
Contemporary Examples
Venus is like an angel on your shoulder, preempting any rash moves.
“I was there,” he wrote on his blog, preempting the next hit.
Historical Examples
I felt like going into the Northwest and preempting a homestead.
One Way OutWilliam Carleton
She stepped through her curtain and said gaily: "You're preempting my privilege, Philip."
ClaireLeslie Burton Blades
He called up both women, alleging a visit to strike headquarters to one, and preempting the other for the afternoon.
MountainClement Wood