Definition, Meaning & Synonyms
pre-empt
verb
/priːˈɛmpt/
Definition
To take action in order to prevent something from happening; to seize something in advance.
Examples
- The government decided to pre-empt any potential protests by increasing security measures.
- He tried to pre-empt the discussion by addressing the main concerns before anyone else could.
- To avoid a crisis, the manager chose to pre-emptively address the team’s concerns in a meeting.
Meaning
The act of acting before someone else does to prevent an action or an event.
Synonyms
- forestall
- prevent
- anticipate
- intervene
- preclude
