prebuttal

American

[pri-buht-l, pree-] / prɪˈbʌt l, pri- /

noun

an argument constructed in anticipation of a criticism.

The alderman began his speech with a question-answer style prebuttal.

prebuttal British

/ priːˈbʌtəl /

noun

informal a prepared response to an anticipated criticism

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of prebuttal

First recorded in 1980–85; pre- + (re)buttal

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In a prebuttal video posted across his social media, Brand said he was about to face “very serious allegations that I absolutely refute,” without detailing them.

From New York Times

Virginia had expected it might, and Warner’s office had emailed reporters a lengthy prebuttal of Maryland’s arguments before the delegation even gave them.

From Slate

Ms. Ernst is scheduled to deliver the “prebuttal” Tuesday to Mr. Biden’s first State of the Union address.

From Washington Times

Experts credit the White House for declassifying intelligence and moving to rebut false claims before they’re made — a so-called “prebuttal” that undercuts their effectiveness better than an after-the-fact explanation.

From Seattle Times

Perhaps anticipating Blinken’s position and the expected sanctions announcement, Lavrov had offered a prebuttal at a news conference Monday in Moscow.

From Seattle Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023