as in seizing
to take or make use of under a guise of authority but without actual right
the thoughtless teenagers had preempted front-row seats that were reserved for the guests of honor
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Recent Examples of preempting
Congress this week released a bipartisan framework that would establish the first broad federal approach to AI regulation while temporarily preempting many state laws.
—
ABC News, 6 June 2026
The state passed a law last year preempting local governments from enacting or enforcing rules against presidential libraries.
—Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 13 May 2026
With the circumlunar flight of Artemis II, and the prospect of landing astronauts on the lunar surface within a few years, humanity is preempting an era where the imprint of visiting the Moon would be erased from living memory.
—Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 25 Apr. 2026
Advocates want federal lawmakers to pass online safety laws around social media and AI tools without preempting states’ ability to regulate.
—Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 20 Apr. 2026
But by preempting state standards entirely, Congress would effectively be making that decision itself.
—John Cleveland, Boston Herald, 7 Apr. 2026
Florida lawmakers have passed many bills preempting local laws in recent years but a ban on local governments banning of single-use plastic straws.
—Ana Goñi-Lessan, Sun Sentinel, 3 Mar. 2026
The council instructed planners to release acreage currently earmarked for annexation back to Ada County, preempting future requests to incorporate the land into Boise for development.
—Mark Dee
january 27, Idaho Statesman, 28 Jan. 2026
In addition to the GAIN AI Act, lawmakers have also been divided over a push to include a provision preempting state AI laws in the NDAA.
—Julia Shapero, The Hill, 4 Dec. 2025
ABC News, 6 June 2026
The state passed a law last year preempting local governments from enacting or enforcing rules against presidential libraries.
—Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 13 May 2026
With the circumlunar flight of Artemis II, and the prospect of landing astronauts on the lunar surface within a few years, humanity is preempting an era where the imprint of visiting the Moon would be erased from living memory.
—Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 25 Apr. 2026
Advocates want federal lawmakers to pass online safety laws around social media and AI tools without preempting states’ ability to regulate.
—Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 20 Apr. 2026
But by preempting state standards entirely, Congress would effectively be making that decision itself.
—John Cleveland, Boston Herald, 7 Apr. 2026
Florida lawmakers have passed many bills preempting local laws in recent years but a ban on local governments banning of single-use plastic straws.
—Ana Goñi-Lessan, Sun Sentinel, 3 Mar. 2026
The council instructed planners to release acreage currently earmarked for annexation back to Ada County, preempting future requests to incorporate the land into Boise for development.
—Mark Dee
january 27, Idaho Statesman, 28 Jan. 2026
In addition to the GAIN AI Act, lawmakers have also been divided over a push to include a provision preempting state AI laws in the NDAA.
—Julia Shapero, The Hill, 4 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preempting
Verb
-
Syrian authorities regularly boast of seizing weapons headed for Lebanon.—
Mick Krever,
CNN Money,
6 June 2026
-
Still, seizing ships doesn’t seem like a very effective way to fill the Treasury’s coffers, and embracing freebooting carries risks besides financial ones.—
David A. Graham,
The Atlantic,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
The best know how to play through grabbing or shoving of various degrees.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
29 May 2026
-
Wembanyama finished Game 6 with 28 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.—
Devon Henderson,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
The opposition’s narrative that Hollywood is usurping home rule is entirely backward.—
Keith Poliakoff,
Sun Sentinel,
1 June 2026
-
But even with the UFC’s challenges, no rival promotion has come close to usurping the sport’s power dynamic.—
Mark Puleo,
New York Times,
21 May 2026
Verb
-
Romanian authorities indicted the Tate brothers on the charges in June 2023, placing them on house arrest and confiscating several of their assets — including 15 luxury cars, 14 luxury watches and approximately $300 million in cryptocurrency.—
Lynsey Eidell,
PEOPLE,
31 May 2026
-
The bill, Senate Bill 73, restricts law enforcement agencies and officers — including those from federal agencies — from interfering with state and local election officials, such as confiscating ballots, voter rolls or voting machines without a warrant.—
Iris Kwok,
Los Angeles Times,
27 May 2026
Verb
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Inspired by a true story, this thriller centers around a fast food manager, Sandra (Ann Dowd), who receives a call from a man identifying himself as a police officer claiming to be investigating a potential theft by Becky (Dreama Walker), one of the restaurant’s employees.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 June 2026
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This thought is part of what made Suzuki’s and Caufield’s joint NHL awards announcement Monday so special — with Suzuki winning the Selke Trophy as the league’s best defensive forward in a landslide and Caufield claiming the Lady Byng Trophy for most gentlemanly player.—
Arpon Basu,
New York Times,
5 June 2026
Verb
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Leto, who has done more than a few of these kinds of villainous cartoon characters, brings some scene-stealing sly humor and sharp line readings to his despicable Skeletor with a voice that sounds like a cross between James Earl Jones and Sir Ian McKellen.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
2 June 2026
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Federal prosecutors charged him with 13 counts of wire fraud, money laundering and stealing money from political donors.—
Bobby Allyn,
NPR,
2 June 2026
Verb
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Cade Smith allowed a run in the ninth before converting his big league-leading 21st save and 18th in a row.—
CBS New York Team,
CBS News,
4 June 2026
-
The easy assembly makes converting it back to a regular sofa a breeze.—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
4 June 2026
Verb
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In 2021, the Minnetonka shoe company apologized for culturally appropriating Native American culture, and committed to supporting the community.—
Rosemary Feitelberg,
Footwear News,
27 May 2026
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At first glance, the pairing might seem like an unconventional one, even though both artists are well known for appropriating others’ images.—
Maximilíano Durón,
ARTnews.com,
8 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Preempting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preempting. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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