preempts

verb

Definition of preemptsnext
present tense third-person singular of preempt
as in seizes
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

Relevance

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for preempts
  1. grabs
  2. occupies
  3. appropriates
  4. assumes
Verb
  • For example, if the child grabs money, that could be an indicator of future wealth.
    Regina Kim, Forbes, 31 Dec. 2024
  • Whichever item the baby grabs is thought to predict their future.
    Regina Kim, Forbes, 31 Dec. 2024
Definition of grabs
Verb
  • The fire department, which occupies a portion of city hall, is condemned due to roof damage, water leaks and mold.
    Jonathan Bullington, Chicago Tribune, 5 Jan. 2025
  • Visitors enter into the kitchen, which is large and light-filled, and occupies the center of the home.
    Adam Williams, New Atlas, 3 Jan. 2025
Definition of occupies
Verb
  • Then, once a federal program is authorized, Congress appropriates money each year to fund its operations.
    Howard Gleckman, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
  • Each fiscal year, Congress appropriates funds for federal agencies to operate.
    Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY, 20 Dec. 2024
Definition of appropriates
Verb
  • The formula assumes that interest compounds over a full year, but most small loans are repaid within weeks or months.
    Boaz Sobrado, Forbes, 22 Dec. 2024
  • That assumes the Denver Broncos (9-6), who lost to the Los Angeles Chargers (9-6) on Thursday, hold on to the seventh playoff slot.
    Jim Sergent, USA TODAY, 21 Dec. 2024
Definition of assumes
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Thesaurus Entries Near preempts

preemptions

preempts

preen

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Preempts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preempts. Accessed 17 Jan. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on preempts

Nglish: Translation of preempts for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of preempts for Arabic Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See All

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Using Bullet Points ( • )

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

More Commonly Misspelled Words
See All

Popular in Wordplay

See All

Top 12 Sophisticated Compliments

Word of the Year 2024 | Polarization

Terroir, Oenophile, & Magnum: Ten Words About Wine

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

10 Words from Taylor Swift Songs (Merriam's Version)
See All

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
white rubber duck stands out in a row of yellow ducks
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.