preemptively

IPA/pɹiːˈɛmptɪvli/
KK[priˈɛmptɪvli]IPA/priːˈɛmptɪvliː/

preemptively — adverb

1. in a way that is done to stop something bad from happening by acting before it h

1.副詞C1
釋義

in a way that is done to stop something bad from happening by acting before it has a chance to occur

例句

St. Luke's hospital preemptively vaccinated all ward staff before any flu case reached the pediatric wing.

collocation: preemptively vaccinate

Mateo preemptively apologized to his neighbour before the noise complaint could be filed.

同義詞
  • proactively

    broader in scope; implies initiative without necessarily preventing a specific harm

  • preventively

    more direct synonym, though less common in everyday use

  • anticipatorily

    more formal and technical; focuses on the expectation of an event

反義詞
  • reactively

    responding after something happens rather than preventing it

  • retrospectively

    looking back at what has already occurred

用法筆記

Often describes measures taken in medicine, security, disaster preparedness, or diplomacy. The subject is typically an authority figure, institution, or responsible individual who anticipates a specific risk.

常見錯誤

❌She preemptively decided what to wear.
✅She decided what to wear the night before.
💡'preemptively' implies preventing a specific external threat, not personal advance planning.

2. in a way that gives one person, group, or rule priority over others by taking co

2.副詞C1
釋義

in a way that gives one person, group, or rule priority over others by taking control or acting first

例句

Federal law preemptively overrides any conflicting state regulations in matters of interstate commerce.

adverb modifying a verb of legal override

The company preemptively registered its brand name in all major markets to block copycats.

collocation: preemptively register

同義詞
  • preferentially

    focuses on receiving special treatment rather than acting first

  • prioritarily

    rare; mainly used in technical or business writing

反義詞
  • retroactively

    describes action taken after the fact, not before

  • belatedly

    too late to have a preventive or priority effect

用法筆記

Frequently used with legal, financial, or procedural subjects (law, regulation, court, bank, company). Common in formal written English rather than speech.

常見錯誤

❌I preemptively ate lunch before the meeting.
✅I ate lunch early before the meeting.
💡'preemptively' is too formal for everyday personal actions; use 'early' or 'in advance' instead.