preemptively

American  

[pree-emp-tiv-lee] / priˈɛmp tɪv li /

Or pre-emptively

adverb

1. before or in preference to other buyers, claimants, candidates, etc..

   TriStar has preemptively purchased the movie rights to Williams’ new novel, the sequel to her debut bestseller.

2. as a measure taken against something anticipated or feared; preventively.

   Knowing I’d be practicing piano for hours every day, I preemptively left polite notes for the upstairs and downstairs neighbors—with cookies attached—apologizing for the noise.

3. Bridge. (said of bidding) at an unnecessarily high level, as a defensive maneuver to make communication between one’s opponents more difficult.

   The more tricks you are certain of winning, given your hand, the higher the level at which you can bid preemptively.

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Etymology

Origin of preemptively

preemptive ( def. ) + -ly

Example Sentences

Kalshi said March 23 it was launching “new technological guardrails that preemptively block politicians, athletes and other relevant people from trading in certain politics and sports markets.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

"We are preemptively evacuating people in areas that may be high-risk for flooding," provincial rescuer Elson Egargue told AFP by phone.

From Barron's • Nov. 8, 2025

Williams said the In-Home Supportive Services program — funded primarily by Medicaid — has preemptively cut funding for transportation to her sister’s weekly appointments.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 30, 2025

In “KPop Demon Hunters,” however, these demons are not waiting passively for humans to die but are rather preemptively harvesting souls through their addictive tunes and undeniable physical magnetism.

From Salon • Jun. 29, 2025

The mere suggestion of it, I understood now, caused stable, middle-class families to bail preemptively for the suburbs, worried their property values would drop.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama