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 the stockholder's 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

In a preemptive effort to remedy the situation, Bills said the council had compiled all correspondence and questionnaires for the candidates and will be releasing it to the public. —Noah Daly june 9, Idaho Statesman, 9 June 2026

The service Like pretty much everything at this hotel, the service is both smart and discreet—not fawning, but preemptive and always on alert. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 June 2026

Iran's Fars news agency said the United States and Iran are negotiating whether the United States and its allies would not attack Iran or its supporters, which include Hezbollah in Lebanon, while Iran would pledge not to launch preemptive attacks. —Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 26 May 2026

There's a fine line between acting like a crazy fan and breaking the law, and sometimes having a preemptive plan in place is the best move. —Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 23 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1855, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for preemptive

• exemptive
• redemptive

Legal Definition

preemptive

adjective

pre·​emp·​tive prē-ˈemp-tiv 

: of or relating to preemption