preclude

pre·clude

transitive verb \pri-ˈklüd\

pre·clud·edpre·clud·ing

Definition of PRECLUDE

1

archaic : close

2

: to make impossible by necessary consequence : rule out in advance

— pre·clu·sion \-ˈklü-zhən\ noun

— pre·clu·sive \-ˈklü-siv, -ziv\ adjective

— pre·clu·sive·ly adverb

Examples of PRECLUDE

1. She suffered an injury that precluded the possibility of an athletic career.
2. Bad weather precluded any further attempts to reach the summit.
3. I fear these things, but vaguely, for my brain buzzes in the merciful wash of endorphins that preclude any thought from occupying it too long. —Louise Erdrich, Harper's, May 1993
4. … the institution [of slavery] in the United States was almost uniquely despotic, a closed system so powerful and totalitarian that organized insurrection was almost entirely precluded … —William Styron, American Heritage, October 1992
5. But conceptual blinders can preclude observation, while most accurate generalities guarantee no proper resolution of specific anatomies, but can certainly guide perceptions along fruitful paths. —Stephen Jay Gould, Wonderful Life, 1989
6. … the same profusion of water that precluded overland travel in the summer months could, during the sledgehammer freeze of winter, be utilized as a natural highway—albeit a highway of ice. —Jon Krakauer, Smithsonian, November 1987

Origin of PRECLUDE

Latin praecludere, from prae- + claudere to close — more at close

First Known Use: 1629

Related to PRECLUDE

Synonyms

avert, forestall, head off, help, obviate, prevent, stave off

Related Words

anticipate, provide; negate, neutralize, nullify; save; baffle, balk, checkmate, deter, foil, frustrate, thwart; bar, block, hamper, hinder, impede, interfere (with), retard, stall; deflect, fend (off), stop, ward (off); avoid, circumvent, dodge, duck, elude, escape, eschew, evade, shake, shirk, shun; forbid, inhibit, prohibit; arrest, check, halt, stop; compensate (for), counteract, counterbalance, make up (for), offset

Near Antonyms

abet, aid, assist; ease, facilitate, smooth, unclog; advance, cultivate, encourage, forward, foster, further, nurture, promote; allow, leave, let, permit

Other Logic Terms

a posteriori, connotation, corollary, inference, mutually exclusive, paradox, postulate, syllogism

Rhymes with PRECLUDE

allude, blood feud, collude, conclude, delude, denude, elude, exclude, extrude, exude, fast-food, health food, include, intrude, junk food, obtrude, occlude, plant food, postlude, prelude, protrude, quaalude, seafood, seclude, subdued, transude, unglued