preemptive
adjective
pre·emp·tive
prē-ˈem(p)-tiv 
1
a
: of or relating to preemption
b
: having power to preempt
2
of a bid in bridge
: higher than necessary and intended to shut out bids by the opponents
3
: giving a stockholder first option to purchase new stock in an amount proportionate to his existing holdings
4
: marked by the seizing of the initiative : initiated by oneself
a preemptive attack
preemptively
adverb
Examples of preemptive in a Sentence
The country took preemptive action against the perceived enemy.
a preemptive attack by the army
Recent Examples on the Web
Instead, Newsom is treating the money like a preemptive loan: spreading the cost across future school budgets by reducing public education spending in the upcoming years.
—
Jennah Pendleton, Sacramento Bee, 24 May 2024
On the more granular level, for instance, Publicis Sapient works with a large security firm, and Sapient’s current task is to mull over how AI models might stand to predict crime waves and provide preemptive alerts.
—Jane Thier, Fortune, 21 May 2024
These people were merely walking toward border officials, until government prompted panic with a preemptive use of violence.
—Jenn Budd, Orange County Register, 21 May 2024
The new law specifies several scenarios in which the country would use nuclear weapons, including preemptive strikes in the event of imminent attack.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 20 May 2024
Advertisement The new law specifies several scenarios in which the country would use nuclear weapons, including preemptive strikes in the event of imminent attack.
—Max Kim, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2024
Such an action could be a preemptive strike against a Supreme Court poised to unravel the regulatory framework established during the New Deal.
—TIME, 13 May 2024
One Pizza Hut franchisee cited the wage hike as the reason for a preemptive wave of layoffs, in which more than 1,000 delivery drivers will be cut this year across the state.
—Sunny Nagpaul, Fortune, 29 Apr. 2024
Israel’s decision to attack Egypt in June 1967 was not only a preemptive strike but also an act of nightmarish panic.
—Tom Segev, Foreign Affairs, 23 Apr. 2024
Jennah Pendleton, Sacramento Bee, 24 May 2024
On the more granular level, for instance, Publicis Sapient works with a large security firm, and Sapient’s current task is to mull over how AI models might stand to predict crime waves and provide preemptive alerts.
—Jane Thier, Fortune, 21 May 2024
These people were merely walking toward border officials, until government prompted panic with a preemptive use of violence.
—Jenn Budd, Orange County Register, 21 May 2024
The new law specifies several scenarios in which the country would use nuclear weapons, including preemptive strikes in the event of imminent attack.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 20 May 2024
Advertisement The new law specifies several scenarios in which the country would use nuclear weapons, including preemptive strikes in the event of imminent attack.
—Max Kim, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2024
Such an action could be a preemptive strike against a Supreme Court poised to unravel the regulatory framework established during the New Deal.
—TIME, 13 May 2024
One Pizza Hut franchisee cited the wage hike as the reason for a preemptive wave of layoffs, in which more than 1,000 delivery drivers will be cut this year across the state.
—Sunny Nagpaul, Fortune, 29 Apr. 2024
Israel’s decision to attack Egypt in June 1967 was not only a preemptive strike but also an act of nightmarish panic.
—Tom Segev, Foreign Affairs, 23 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'preemptive.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Preemptive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/preemptive. Accessed 28 May. 2024.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
preemptive
adjective
pre·emp·tive
prē-ˈemp-tiv
: of or relating to preemption
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