preemptively

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adverb

In a preemptive manner.

UncommonScrabble 24

Meanings

adverbpreemptively (comparative more preemptively, superlative most preemptively)

comparative more preemptively · superlative most preemptively · alternative pre-emptively · alternative preëmptively

  1. In a preemptive manner.

    The GOP’s aggressive approach in court goes hand in hand with former President Donald Trump’s strategy of using the courts to preemptively cast doubt on the 2024 results.

    2024 October 28, Tierney Sneed and Devan Cole, “GOP’s aggressive court strategy sets the stage to cast doubt on the 2024 results”, in CNN, archived from the original on 09 Oct 2025
    1 more example

    If you feel strongly about Scullying this situation and avoiding anyone who believes in made-up sky magic, that’s your prerogative, but you should know that you’re preemptively x’ing out a LOT of the queer population you might otherwise click with!

    2019 February 19, Rachel, “How to Talk to Your Hot Gay Crush About Astrology When You Don't Believe In It”, in Autostraddle

Origin

  1. Englishpreemptionbf.
  2. Englishpreempt
  3. Englishpreemptive
  4. Proto-Indo-European*leyg-
  5. Proto-Germanic*līką
  6. Englishpreemptively

From preemptive + -ly.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan preventivament
  • preventivamentin a preemptive manner
Italian preventivamente
  • preventivamentein a preemptive manner
Spanish preemptivamente
  • preemptivamentein a preemptive manner
Cite this entry
APA

preemptively. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/preemptively

MLA

“preemptively.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/preemptively. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “preemptively,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/preemptively.

Source: preemptively on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.