(transitive) To appropriate first. / (transitive) To displace or take the place of (by having higher precedence, etc).

(bridge) A preemptive bid.

present participle of preempt

Third-person singular simple present indicative form of preempt

plural of preempt

simple past tense and past participle of preempt

(law) The right of shareholders to maintain a constant percentage of a company's shares by receiving a proportionate fraction of any new shares issued, thus preempting any dilution

The concept of an armed attack on another state, when not at war, on the belief that the other state represents a real attack threat. It differs from a preemptive strike which applies to states which are already at war.

An attack launched as a defensive measure.

in a preemptive manner