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

In addition to vetting its portfolio of 40,000 individual grants, NSF has taken the preemptive step of ending an unknown number of programs supporting work that might be seen as violating the new directives. —Byjeffrey Mervis, science.org, 30 Jan. 2025

In one of his final acts as president, Biden issued a sweeping preemptive pardon for Fauci on Monday, shielding him from potential legal scrutiny. —Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 8 Feb. 2025

If Derek Jeter invented the strategy of preemptive blandness, a verbal jiu-jitsu move that cloaks every utterance in a gauze of impenetrable nothingness, Tom Brady has earned a Vantablack® belt in the discipline. —Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 5 Feb. 2025

Trump on Tuesday signed a preemptive executive order that any fans booing him as well as Taylor Swift be deported from the stadium. —Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 4 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1855, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for preemptive

• exemptive
• redemptive

Legal Definition

preemptive

adjective

pre·​emp·​tive prē-ˈemp-tiv 

: of or relating to preemption