Definition of to pre-empt in English English dictionary
pre-empt pre-empts pre-empting pre-empted in AM, usually use preempt If you pre-empt an action, you prevent it from happening by doing something which makes it unnecessary or impossible. You can pre-empt pain by taking a painkiller at the first warning sign He pre-empted any decision to sack him + pre-emption pre-emption Pre-emption was the only method of averting defeat