preempts; preempted; preempting
1
formal
: to prevent (something) from happening
The contract preempts lawsuits by the company's clients.
2
formal
: to take the place of (something)
The state law was preempted by a federal law.
3
US
: to be shown instead of (another television program)
The President's speech preempted regular programming.
Cite this Entry
“Preempt.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/preempt. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
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