Definition of preclude
—
What's Trending Now
More Trending Words
Examples of preclude in a Sentence
- 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
- … 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
- 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
- … 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
She suffered an injury that precluded the possibility of an athletic career.
Bad weather precluded any further attempts to reach the summit.
Recent Examples of preclude from the Web
-
But Atlanta’s blackness alone doesn’t preclude its value being perceived by the masses.
-
While tornadoes are the result of thunderstorms, which are created from conditions that include moisture, the current dry conditions in the area do not preclude twisters, said Storm Prediction Center meteorologist Patrick Marsh.
-
And as Tyrique Jones likes to remind us, standing at 6-foot-9 doesn't preclude you from being a game-changing forward/center.
-
Claiming the two quarterbacks doesn’t preclude the Cardinals from drafting one later this month.
-
In that instance, the gunman's violent history would have precluded him from buying a gun, but authorities failed to report it to the federal background check system.
-
The interests of space and time preclude me from delving deeply into the GTLM grid, where the Ford GT, Corvette C7.R, Porsche 911 RSR, Ferrari 488 GTE, and now BMW M8 GTLM duke it out.
-
Being able to use almost the entire ASAP route should preclude another major round of data collection.
-
The original edict precluded the training of new heilpraktikers, a move intended to phase them out and push medical doctors to incorporate alternative treatments into their practices.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'preclude.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
preclude Uses Within and Outside Law
Preclude is often used in legal writing, where it usually refers to making something legally impossible. A new law may be passed by Congress to preclude any suits of a certain kind against a federal agency, for example. Some judges have found that the warnings on cigarette packs preclude any suits against the tobacco companies by lung-cancer sufferers. But there are plenty of nonlegal uses as well. Bad weather often precludes trips to the beach, and a lack of cash might preclude any beach vacation at all.
Origin and Etymology of preclude
preclude Synonyms
Near Antonyms
ease, facilitate, smooth, unclog;
advance, cultivate, encourage, forward, foster, further, nurture, promote;
Related Words
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;
compensate (for), counteract, counterbalance, make up (for), offset;
Other Logic Terms
PRECLUDE Defined for English Language Learners
Definition of preclude for English Language Learners
-
: to make (something) impossible : to prevent (something) from happening
-
: to prevent (someone) from doing something
Law Dictionary
legal Definition of preclude
precluded;
precluding
: to prevent or exclude by necessary consequence: as
a
: to prevent (a party) from litigating an action or claim especially by collateral estoppel or res judicata
- they are precluded only because they failed to assert…the grounds for recovery they now assert
- —Roach v. Teamsters Local Union No. 688, 595 F.2d 446 (1979)
b
: to prevent (a claim or action) from being litigated especially by collateral estoppel or res judicata
- the Civil Service Reform Act provides the exclusive address for adverse federal employment actions and thus precludes claims brought under the Tort Claims Act
- —National Law Journal
Learn More about preclude
-
See words that rhyme with preclude Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for preclude Spanish Central: Translation of preclude Nglish: Translation of preclude for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of preclude for Arabic speakers
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up preclude? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
