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
Instead, Newsom is treating the money like a preemptive loan: spreading the cost across future school budgets by reducing public education spending in the upcoming years.
—
Jennah Pendleton, Sacramento Bee, 24 May 2024
On the more granular level, for instance, Publicis Sapient works with a large security firm, and Sapient’s current task is to mull over how AI models might stand to predict crime waves and provide preemptive alerts.
—Jane Thier, Fortune, 21 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for preemptive 
Jennah Pendleton, Sacramento Bee, 24 May 2024
On the more granular level, for instance, Publicis Sapient works with a large security firm, and Sapient’s current task is to mull over how AI models might stand to predict crime waves and provide preemptive alerts.
—Jane Thier, Fortune, 21 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for preemptive
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'preemptive.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Articles Related to preemptive
Dictionary Entries Near preemptive
Cite this Entry
“Preemptive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/preemptive. Accessed 29 May. 2024.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
preemptive
adjective
pre·emp·tive
prē-ˈemp-tiv
: of or relating to preemption
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share