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

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

In his New Year’s Day address Monday, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said he will strengthen his military’s preemptive strike, missile defense and retaliatory capabilities in response to the North Korean nuclear threat.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 31, 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