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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of preempt
Monsanto argues those claims should have been preempted by the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, which requires manufacturers to register pesticides with the EPA before selling them, which Monsanto did.
—
Carrie Johnson, NPR, 27 Apr. 2026
Disney and ABC's decision to pull Kimmel's show came after Nexstar and Sinclair vowed to preempt airings of Jimmy Kimmel Live!
—Brenton Blanchet, PEOPLE, 27 Apr. 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
The proposals aim to preempt state data and consumer privacy laws, which have spread considerably as states have attempted to introduce guardrails.
—P.r. Lockhart, Hartford Courant, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for preempt
Carrie Johnson, NPR, 27 Apr. 2026
Disney and ABC's decision to pull Kimmel's show came after Nexstar and Sinclair vowed to preempt airings of Jimmy Kimmel Live!
—Brenton Blanchet, PEOPLE, 27 Apr. 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
The proposals aim to preempt state data and consumer privacy laws, which have spread considerably as states have attempted to introduce guardrails.
—P.r. Lockhart, Hartford Courant, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for preempt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preempt
Verb
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More recently, Republican gubernatorial candidate Chad Bianco has drawn scrutiny for using his position as Riverside County sheriff to seize some 650,000 ballots in the county to determine whether they were fraudulently counted.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
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Investigators recovered a 9 mm SIG Sauer handgun, according to the filing, and seized electronic devices as part of the investigation.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
7 May 2026
Verb
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That could impact the situation of Clarke, who outplayed Doughty and usurped his former position on the power play but logged fewer minutes at right defense just the same.—
Andrew Knoll,
Daily News,
2 May 2026
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Hegseth and Feinberg, Phelan said, had imposed rigid control over submarine and shipbuilding decisions, effectively usurping the Navy’s authority, these people said.—
Dan Lamothe,
Washington Post,
2 May 2026
Verb
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The government, which insists Lai is Chinese, is seeking to confiscate his assets on national security grounds.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 May 2026
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Detectives confiscated over $10,000 cash, along with narcotics and a firearm, after serving a search warrant Thursday in Westland, Michigan.—
Paula Wethington,
CBS News,
8 May 2026
Verb
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Executives said the focus this year has been on grabbing the biggest audiences and on how artificial intelligence is improving data and outcomes.—
Lillian Rizzo,
CNBC,
11 May 2026
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Reid played a big role in the season-saving quarter as well, scoring six points, grabbing three boards and picking up two assists, including a no-look dish to Gobert for a dunk with three minutes to play.—
Jon Krawczynski,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
Verb
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The Golden Knights regained the lead in the best-of-seven second-round series, 2-1, after stealing Game 1 in Vegas and very nearly being shut out in Game 2.—
Andrew Knoll,
Oc Register,
9 May 2026
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The Sixers had momentum — a chance to steal (yes, steal) a game against a far (yes, far) superior Knicks team and salvage what was left of their playoff hopes after ceding the first two games of the second-round series at Madison Square Garden.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
9 May 2026
Verb
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The defendant also claimed the trial court abused its discretion by allowing the state’s expert witness, W, to answer two hypothetical questions posed by the prosecutor.—
Staff Report,
Hartford Courant,
9 May 2026
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Magyar recently claimed that several of Orbán’s top lieutenants are rushing to send their assets abroad, perhaps to avoid financial or legal sanctions, and that others have been shredding incriminating documents.—
Andrew Marantz,
New Yorker,
9 May 2026
Verb
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Initial estimates put repair pricetag at about $400,000, leading the Riverwalk Commission and the now-defunct Exchange Club of Naperville to consider alternatives, including converting the fountain into a static art installation or creating a more natural water feature with plantings.—
Carolyn Stein,
Chicago Tribune,
9 May 2026
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Last October, the company acquired Waterford’s Crystal Mall, with plans to convert the building into office space for thousands of engineers, software developers and support staff.—
P.R. Lockhart,
Hartford Courant,
9 May 2026
Verb
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The hotel sits within the historic First Residence building complex, which occupies a stretch of riverfront land next to the Giza Zoo.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
12 May 2026
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Meanwhile, the charming house with a small brook off to the side, stands waiting to be occupied with some, but not a lot, of work required.—
Pamela McLoughlin,
Hartford Courant,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Preempt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preempt. Accessed 12 May. 2026.
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