preclude
Americanverb
-
to exclude or debar
-
to make impossible, esp beforehand
Other Word Forms
- precludable adjective
- preclusion noun
- preclusive adjective
- preclusively adverb
- unprecludable adjective
- unpreclusive adjective
- unpreclusively adverb
Etymology
Origin of preclude
First recorded in 1610–20; from Latin praeclūdere “to shut off, close,” equivalent to prae- pre- + -clūdere, combining form of claudere “to shut, close ”
Compare meaning
How does preclude compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
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.
A market that keeps chugging ahead doesn’t preclude plenty of volatility under the surface, and it might not stay there.
From Barron's
Edward’s sternness does not preclude real love for all his children.
Powell sticking it out, even for a few more months, precludes that option.
From Barron's
"This outcome should make plain that time does not preclude a successful prosecution; we will doggedly pursue justice for the victims of non-recent crimes, no matter how many decades have passed."
From BBC
That could preclude many policies to increase housing supply, which most economists agree is the strongest way to make homes more affordable.
From Barron's
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
