Pre-emptive Strike (Noun)
Meaning
A surprise attack that is launched in order to prevent the enemy from doing it to you.
Classification
Nouns denoting acts or actions.
Examples
- The government decided to launch a pre-emptive strike against the rogue nation's nuclear facilities before they could be used against their own citizens.
- In the business world, the tech giant's new product release was a pre-emptive strike against its competitor's planned launch, effectively shutting them out of the market.
- Historians argue that the attack on Pearl Harbor was a pre-emptive strike by Japan, designed to prevent a US Pacific Fleet from interfering with its planned expansion into Southeast Asia.
- The president warned that the nation was ready to launch a pre-emptive strike if necessary, in response to intelligence indicating that its rival country was on the brink of attacking.
- Critics argue that the war on terrorism was essentially a series of pre-emptive strikes against nations perceived to be supporting extremist groups.