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

And if businesses are forced to challenge state overreach in federal court, judges should interpret and apply federal laws in the preemptive manner Congress intended. —Glenn G. Lammi, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025

And a sixth, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, entered into a preemptive deal with the president to provide more than $100 million in free legal work, along with other commitments. —Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 1 Apr. 2025

This takes pre-crime and preemptive arrests to a whole new sinister level of potential abuses. —Nisha Whitehead, Oc Register, 28 Mar. 2025

This allows organizations to take preemptive actions and make informed decisions, such as patching a system or monitoring certain third-party partners more closely. —Steve Durbin, Forbes, 24 Mar. 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