as in to seize
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of preempt
Shortly after, Rice approached the same set of double doors exiting the locker room that had preempted the talk from Kelce.
—
Kansas City Star, 28 Oct. 2025
Nexstar and Sinclair temporarily preempted the show on their respective affiliate stations.
—Althea Legaspi, Rolling Stone, 26 Oct. 2025
For example, state lawmakers in 2024 preempted the city’s cap of rental application fees at $30.
—Idaho Statesman, 24 Oct. 2025
Newsom’s mobilization of the California National Guard could preempt a potential federal takeover.
—Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for preempt
Kansas City Star, 28 Oct. 2025
Nexstar and Sinclair temporarily preempted the show on their respective affiliate stations.
—Althea Legaspi, Rolling Stone, 26 Oct. 2025
For example, state lawmakers in 2024 preempted the city’s cap of rental application fees at $30.
—Idaho Statesman, 24 Oct. 2025
Newsom’s mobilization of the California National Guard could preempt a potential federal takeover.
—Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for preempt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preempt
Verb
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On Iowa State’s next possession, TCU senior safety Bud Clark came up with a massive interception right before the two-minute timeout, giving TCU a great opportunity to seize control of the game with the Horned Frogs getting the ball at halftime.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 Nov. 2025
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Pokrovsk would be the largest city Russia has seized since Bakhmut in May 2023.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
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McCall’s banner also appears to cleverly usurp and subvert the aesthetics of European heraldry—indeed, its elegant design would look utterly correct on a beret, a medal, or a heater shield.—
Alex Jovanovich,
Artforum,
1 Jan. 2026
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The War of the Two Caesars also serves as a nice mirror for everything going down with the Brotherhood, Elder Cleric Quintus still hellbent on usurping the Commonwealth despite the arrival of Kumail Nanjiani’s Paladin Xander Harkness, an emissary from that neck of the woods.—
Jack King,
Vulture,
31 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Milwaukee Marshall High School confiscates a student’s phone until the end of the day for a first offense, requires a parent pickup after a second offense and issues an automatic suspension for repeat violations.—
Kayla Huynh,
jsonline.com,
5 Nov. 2025
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He once got caught with a knife, but correctional officers didn't confiscate it.—
Kristine Phillips,
IndyStar,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Tri-State Fishing and Outdoor Show Don your camo gear and grab your fishing poles for the Tri-State Fishing and Outdoor Show.—
Caroline Ritzie,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
7 Jan. 2026
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The suspects, seen grabbing armfuls of merchandise during multiple rounds of theft, reportedly fled in a U-Haul truck, Lower Merion Police told Fox 29 Philadelphia.—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Maia’s horrified to realize that the bag was stolen; Tallulah’s mostly just annoyed she got caught.—
Caroline Framke,
Vulture,
10 Nov. 2025
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Before his imprisonment, Chacón was arrested in 2024 on a domestic violence charge and, in 2025, was accused of stealing merchandise at a Walmart.—
Tamia Fowlkes,
jsonline.com,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Even Obama’s outreach to Mamdani, Jones claimed, was more likely his attempt to support future stars who can counter Trump than an attempt to remain relevant.—
Mabinty Quarshie,
The Washington Examiner,
7 Nov. 2025
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Iran unveiled its Fattah missile in 2023, claiming speeds of Mach 13 to 15.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Inside the hole, that spin makes the ball roll along the cylinder like a mini-pendulum, converting potential energy into spin and then back again.—
Lydia Patrick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
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That total recently got a boost from Father Joe’s Villages, which converted one of its downtown shelters into a detox and sober-living program.—
Blake Nelson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Beijing — When Ho Puay-peng first visited Beijing’s Forbidden City in the late 1980s, the Singaporean architect saw many of the historic courtyards used for storage, filled with garbage, and occupied by danwei (government offices).—
Fred He,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
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The Detroit Tigers, who occupied first place the American League Central for 187 of the 194 days in the regular season this year, came up short for the second season in a row.—
Jon Vankin,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Preempt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preempt. Accessed 7 Jan. 2026.
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