preemptive
adjective
pre·​emp·​tive
| \ prē-ˈem(p)-tiv
\
\
Definition of preemptive
1a
: 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
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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
Weeks before joining the administration, Bolton wrote a Wall Street Journal op-ed arguing for a preemptive strike against North Korea, only for Trump to instead pursue diplomacy with Kim Jong Un. — Bloomberg News, oregonlive, "Donald Trump fires John Bolton after tumultuous tenure," 10 Sep. 2019 The Trump administration has only loosened the leash on Cyber Command, elevating its authority and freeing it up to launch preemptive attacks on enemy infrastructure. — Andy Greenberg, WIRED, "The WIRED Guide to Cyberwar," 23 Aug. 2019 In addition to American, preemptive cancellations were already streaming in on other carriers. — Ben Mutzabaugh, USA TODAY, "Nor'easter: Nearly 500 flights already canceled through Wednesday," 12 Mar. 2018 In today’s deal, North’s leap to four hearts was preemptive. — Frank Stewart, The Mercury News, "Bridge: July 21, 2019," 21 July 2019 David Copperfield put out a preemptive statement supporting the #MeToo movement and asking for people to refrain from rushing to judgement. — Andrea Mandell, USA TODAY, "David Copperfield accused of drugging, assaulting model when she was 17," 24 Jan. 2018 And as threats increase, Valmeyer officials say they are continually approached by other municipalities considering what scientists call managed retreat -- basically, a preemptive move to higher ground. — Stephanie Elam, CNN, "A flood forced this town to move. It could be a model for others hit by the climate crisis," 17 July 2019 In the survey of 3,000 Americans, respondents read imaginary news stories in which they were told policymakers were contemplating a preemptive strike on North Korea. — Kelsey Piper, Vox, "Americans are terrifyingly supportive of nuking civilians in North Korea," 26 June 2019 Our cancel culture relies on the unpredictability and post hoc nature of the enforcement to instill a spirit of creative and preemptive conformity among those with something to lose. — Michael Brendan Dougherty, National Review, "Pavlik Morozov Is the Patron Saint of Cancel Culture," 2 July 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'preemptive.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for preemptive
preemptive
adjective
English Language Learners Definition of preemptive
: done to stop an unwanted act by another group, country, etc., from happening
See the full definition for preemptive in the English Language Learners Dictionary
preemptive
adjective
pre·​emp·​tive
| \ prē-ˈemp-tiv
\
\
Legal Definition of preemptive
: of or relating to preemption
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