Verb (used with object) : a political issue preempted by the opposition party. ,The special newscast preempted the usual television program.    From Dictionary.com. 

Verb (used without object) : an effort to preempt inflation.    From Dictionary.com. 

I don't want to pre-empt my secretary of the treasury.    From Wordnik.com.  [CNN Transcript Feb 9, 2009] Reference

Let me pre-empt these remarks by saying that it's different.    From Wordnik.com.  [amishboy Diary Entry] Reference

A good move, perhaps -- but not enough to pre-empt scrutiny.    From Wordnik.com.  [GRINS AND GRENADES] Reference

To pre-empt a similar measure, Parlabane thought he'd better explain.    From Wordnik.com.  [Boiling a Frog]

Raines, in his opening remarks, tried to pre-empt some of what was coming.    From Wordnik.com.  [The Times Bomb] Reference

Was this a plain old media attempt to pre-empt the findings of the report?.    From Wordnik.com.  [CNN Transcript Dec 17, 2006] Reference

Silly because you shouldn't worry about things like that, or pre-empt them.    From Wordnik.com.  [sheepdip Diary Entry] Reference

But Clinton aides believe they must move fast to pre-empt the interest groups.    From Wordnik.com.  [Hillary's Hard Sell] Reference

Only when you experience genuine feelings that pre-empt your logic will you be real.    From Wordnik.com.  [The Source of Magic]

On the other hand, companies might try to pre-empt supplier shortages by stockpiling.    From Wordnik.com.  [Self-Inflicted Cyber Wound?] Reference

But attacks on enemy leaders in wartime to pre-empt future attacks -- that's fair game.    From Wordnik.com.  [Evil In The Cross Hairs] Reference

Any quarry was entitled to take evasive action: to pre-empt discovery by striking first.    From Wordnik.com.  [Longshot]

Rather than a plan of containment, therefore let us pre-empt the strike and let us kill them.    From Wordnik.com.  [CNN Transcript Aug 23, 2005] Reference

In June of that same year, however, it seized power violently in Gaza to pre-empt a Fatah coup.    From Wordnik.com.  [This time in Washington, honest brokerage is not going to be enough] Reference

All such devices will, of course, be presented as having benefits so obvious as to pre-empt objection.    From Wordnik.com.  [If All The World's A Computer...] Reference

Leslie, they're pre-empting -- obviously, trying pre-empt this final strategy in this system in turmoil.    From Wordnik.com.  [CNN Transcript Oct 5, 2008] Reference

Hu, who has appointed younger allies to top slots in many provinces, is trying to pre-empt any challenges.    From Wordnik.com.  [Beijing Battle] Reference

The self-deprecating jokes help pre-empt criticism and have earned him the fondness of the national press.    From Wordnik.com.  ['White Tornado'] Reference

South can pre-empt one hundred and sixty acres of this land at the moderate cost of about eighteen dollars.    From Wordnik.com.  [The Journal of Negro History, Volume 4, 1919] Reference

Bottom line: more incentive for Israel to pre-empt such an Estimate by striking Iran sooner rather than later.    From Wordnik.com.  [Coleen Rowley: Only Obama Can Manage the Iran Situation] Reference

Germany's phone company has already cut some long-distance rates by 45 percent, hoping to pre-empt competitors.    From Wordnik.com.  [Dialing For D Marks: Phone Wars Hit Europe] Reference

You will not want to pre-empt him, I'm sure, but the goal, as we understand it, is a more targeted aid program.    From Wordnik.com.  [U.S. Ambassador Pushes Security Goals At U.N.] Reference

In the past, federal law could pre-empt state laws even when the states were more stringent in favor of consumers.    From Wordnik.com.  [Why the new financial reform law matters to consumers] Reference

As with the Israelis in Gaza, periodic airstrikes may well be required to pre-empt brewing plots before they mature.    From Wordnik.com.  [Winning In Afghanistan] Reference

This means publicizing your own positive news — awards, community service, school honors — to pre-empt bad news.    From Wordnik.com.  [Google Yourself—And Enjoy It] Reference

Salter says McCain was responding to the climate of those days, when Washington was looking to pre-empt further attacks.    From Wordnik.com.  [Worlds Apart] Reference

WEBSTER SHAMU, ZIMBABWEAN INFORMATION MINISTER: We would not want to pre-empt the release of that report, their findings.    From Wordnik.com.  [CNN Transcript Jul 4, 2009] Reference

The very next year you might have to revolve that same instinct to align yourself to the new state and probably pre-empt it.    From Wordnik.com.  [Ekta Kapoor's Bollywood] Reference

But the Pitt news came days before deadline -- possibly to pre-empt stories about broken vows, said the rumor in media circles.    From Wordnik.com.  [MEDIA: BREAKING BREAKUP] Reference

Sutcliffe recognised that a crisis might be round the corner and chose to pre-empt it by seeking a review of the industry's practices.    From Wordnik.com.  [Proof of who owns Portsmouth remains in short supply] Reference

Aides say Sharon intends to pre-empt the plan with his own proposal that also proffers a Palestinian state but with much narrower borders.    From Wordnik.com.  ['I'm Through With Arafat'] Reference

That incident led to prolonged controversy and reflected badly on the Government's attempts to pre-empt criticism, however considered it was.    From Wordnik.com.  [Betty Bothroyd The Autobiography]

I would still be in favor of it -- a poor federal law is better than none -- if it didn't also pre-empt more-effective state laws, which makes it a net loss.    From Wordnik.com.  [The Anti-ID-Theft Bill That Isn't] Reference

Already the financial sector is trying to pre-empt government interference, with banks across Europe launching massive internal audits of risk-management controls.    From Wordnik.com.  [France’s New Anti-Hero] Reference

Carmakers agreed to release the diagnostic codes online in August 2003 in an attempt to pre-empt the legislation, but many manufacturers have not fully cooperated, said Parde.    From Wordnik.com.  [Drivers Want Code to Their Cars] Reference