as in to seize
to take or make use of under a guise of authority but without actual right
the thoughtless teenagers had preempted front-row seats that were reserved for the guests of honor
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of preempt
In the aftermath of Appomattox, ex-Confederates moved quickly, using propaganda, fraud, and terrorism, to preempt Black freedom and impose a system akin to slavery.
—
Made By History, Time, 9 Apr. 2025
The No Fakes Act would not preempt those laws, but would preempt any future state legislation on the issue.
—Gene Maddaus, Variety, 9 Apr. 2025
That ensures that federal rules will preempt state ones in the cities.
—Tom W Bell, Oc Register, 6 Apr. 2025
The Constitution’s Supremacy Clause and Property Clause already give federal lawmakers exclusive authority to regulate land owned by the United States, thereby preempting state or local laws.
—Tom W Bell, Oc Register, 6 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for preempt
Made By History, Time, 9 Apr. 2025
The No Fakes Act would not preempt those laws, but would preempt any future state legislation on the issue.
—Gene Maddaus, Variety, 9 Apr. 2025
That ensures that federal rules will preempt state ones in the cities.
—Tom W Bell, Oc Register, 6 Apr. 2025
The Constitution’s Supremacy Clause and Property Clause already give federal lawmakers exclusive authority to regulate land owned by the United States, thereby preempting state or local laws.
—Tom W Bell, Oc Register, 6 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for preempt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preempt
Verb
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These results suggest that media-savvy Democrats who seize this moment to call out Trump and the MAGA agenda could put themselves in a strong position to become the next leader of the Democratic Party.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Apr. 2025
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No law in this country permits the president to seize federal funds and to just keep them until an institution complies with his personal will.—
Destinee Adams,
NPR,
16 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Thankfully this judge, unlike Congress, is unwilling to allow his power to be usurped freely without a fight.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
17 Apr. 2025
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The door remains open, albeit slightly, for the Blue Jackets to run the table and somehow usurp the Canadiens to enter the playoffs.—
Julian McKenzie,
New York Times,
14 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The pair collaborated on searching freight shipments, storage units and vehicles to confiscate drugs, targeting marijuana in particular because it was stored locally rather than sent to the DEA, according to officials.—
Olivia Lloyd,
Miami Herald,
21 Apr. 2025
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Some of them have taken advantage of the departure of foreign and multinational corporations from Russia by buying depreciated assets or simply confiscating them, generally with the support of powerful insiders, such as the Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov.—
ALEXANDER GABUEV,
Foreign Affairs,
17 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Antetokounmpo finished the game by scoring 36 points, grabbing 13 rebounds, and blocking two shots.—
Nicholas Creel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Apr. 2025
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Metcalf grabbed Anthony and again told him to get from under the team’s tent, then Anthony pulled out a knife and stabbed Metcalf once in the chest before running away, the witness said.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
18 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Coop is fired from his high-profile finance job, starts stealing from his wealthy neighbors to keep up his lifestyle, chaos ensues, and get your popcorn ready.—
Danielle Pergament,
SELF,
10 Apr. 2025
-
Tom Richard Santos with John of Sherwood: After the death of Robin Hood, a grieving Little John returns to his ancestral Celtic tribe to protect it from the corrupt Church bent on stealing its land — and to confront the dark truth of his crimes as a Merry Man.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
9 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Müller’s central argument has been that populism should primarily be defined as a movement in which a leader claims to represent a silenced or forgotten—and almost always exclusionary—majority.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
10 Apr. 2025
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The growth trajectory represents a 2.8% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2025, with online video claiming the lion’s share at $9.4 billion.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
10 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The largest cause of deforestation is a lack of demand for forest products, which causes our forest to be converted to industrial, agricultural, residential uses.—
Rob Marciano,
CBS News,
9 Apr. 2025
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However, his time with the Patriots was brief—the team had drafted him with the intention of converting him to another position like defensive back or running back, position changes Gannon resisted.—
Omaid Homayun,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Last spring, Harvard students protesting Israel's retaliatory attacks on Gaza occupied the university's central courtyard for 20 days and staged a 24-hour sit-in in another building.—
Trevor Hughes,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2025
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The Israeli Defense Forces now claim to occupy some 30% of Gaza territory.—
Lucien Bruggeman,
ABC News,
18 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Preempt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preempt. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.
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