as in seized
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 preempted
In February 2025, a state appeals court upheld the jury’s verdict, ruling that Missouri’s laws requiring companies to warn of dangers are not preempted by federal law.
—
Sarah J. Morath, The Conversation, 30 Apr. 2026
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
The administration argued that the order preempted several California laws, regulations and court orders, which had, for months, blocked the pipelines’ restart.
—Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2026
And the Jets preempted a looming Williams contract issue with that deal.
—Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 15 Apr. 2026
To that end, Kalshi insists states are preempted by a federal law, the Commodity Exchange Act, from enforcing their gambling laws on exchanges that offer sports prediction market wagers.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 14 Apr. 2026
Volunteer Jane Gilbert recommends newbies check the site to make sure the Sunday practice isn’t preempted by a special event.
—Lois K. Solomon, Sun Sentinel, 9 Apr. 2026
However, Judge Rodriguez ruled that their state claims are preempted by federal copyright law and that Cardi’s shows in Texas weren’t different enough from her shows in other states to give Fraustro and Aguilar jurisdiction over her in the Lone Star State.
—Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 1 Apr. 2026
His administration said last week that police had preempted a similar Hyde Park meetup.
—Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2026
Sarah J. Morath, The Conversation, 30 Apr. 2026
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
The administration argued that the order preempted several California laws, regulations and court orders, which had, for months, blocked the pipelines’ restart.
—Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2026
And the Jets preempted a looming Williams contract issue with that deal.
—Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 15 Apr. 2026
To that end, Kalshi insists states are preempted by a federal law, the Commodity Exchange Act, from enforcing their gambling laws on exchanges that offer sports prediction market wagers.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 14 Apr. 2026
Volunteer Jane Gilbert recommends newbies check the site to make sure the Sunday practice isn’t preempted by a special event.
—Lois K. Solomon, Sun Sentinel, 9 Apr. 2026
However, Judge Rodriguez ruled that their state claims are preempted by federal copyright law and that Cardi’s shows in Texas weren’t different enough from her shows in other states to give Fraustro and Aguilar jurisdiction over her in the Lone Star State.
—Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 1 Apr. 2026
His administration said last week that police had preempted a similar Hyde Park meetup.
—Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preempted
Verb
-
Edward Burke — then seized control of City Council and approved a new lineup of committee chairs and leaders.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
2 May 2026
-
Police stormed the gallery and seized two canvases—The Naked Man, depicting a nude youth gripping a monstrous phallus, and The Big Night Down the Drain, showing a Hitler-like figure masturbating.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
William Cruz, 49, of Carteret, NJ, was charged with failure to yield to a pedestrian causing injury and failure to exercise due care for the fatal crash that claimed Jenny Maribel Chacho Sanchez on April 17.—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
30 Apr. 2026
-
In 2013, Lozzi stood outside the Los Angeles County Museum of Art to protest a screening of the HBO film Phil Spector and claimed the project implied Clarkson had committed suicide.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Cemetery officials confiscated the notes and film of the two reporters, saying reporters needed permission to visit the cemetery.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Israeli police have for years confiscated Palestinian flags from Palestinians, accusing them of disturbing the peace.—
Tal Shalev,
CNN Money,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Vodka had overtaken gin in popularity by 1967, but by 2000 had fully usurped it, like Claudius to King Hamlet—occupied its position, married its wife, and taken control of its lands.—
Jeremy Repanich,
Robb Report,
21 Mar. 2026
-
In other words, the apparatus that became the modern movie camera, up until digital technology usurped the role that film cameras played in capturing the first 100 years of filmmaking.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Beginning in the late 1970s, it was occupied by actor, puppeteer, and voice artist Chuck McCann and his wife, William Morris agent Betty Fanning, who lived there for 45 years until their deaths in 2018 and early 2026, respectively.—
Wendy Bowman,
Robb Report,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Daniel Chong, 104 minutes Pixar’s latest family-friendly charmer depicts a land war — over a patch of earth that was once occupied by beavers and other wildlife and that human developers are eager to blow up for a highway.—
Brian Tallerico,
Vulture,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Investigators later learned Hissom and her male passenger, who was wounded, were caught in a crossfire as a group of four or five men grabbed weapons from a vehicle and began firing at each other.—
Darrell Smith,
Sacbee.com,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Aristide then allegedly charged at his brother, grabbed him by the neck and forced him to the ground, according to the report.—
Mauricio Maldonado,
CBS News,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The move surprised many investors, as it was widely assumed that Abel would not take over until after Buffett's death.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
2 May 2026
-
Upon his death Keiko Fujimori assumed an even more central role as the principal representative of his political legacy.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 May 2026
Verb
-
Cohen is careful not to let enthusiasm for the science bleed into endorsement of the wellness industry that has appropriated it.—
Asaf Elia-Shalev,
Sun Sentinel,
21 Apr. 2026
-
The administration has refused to spend money Congress has appropriated, like for foreign aid, and has spent money that Congress has not appropriated, like to pay DHS employees despite a shutdown.—
Sam Gringlas,
NPR,
13 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Preempted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preempted. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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