pre-emptive attack

Frequency: 7.08.5 per million words

an attack launched to prevent an expected enemy attack

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Examples (10)

  • A nation might launch a pre-emptive attack to neutralize an imminent threat.
  • The general argued that a pre-emptive attack was the only way to ensure national security.
  • Some consider a pre-emptive attack morally justifiable in extreme circumstances.
  • The decision to authorize a pre-emptive attack is always fraught with risk.
  • Intelligence suggested the enemy was preparing for an assault, prompting discussions about a pre-emptive attack.
  • Historically, pre-emptive attacks have often led to wider conflicts.
  • The government denied that its actions constituted a pre-emptive attack.
  • Could a cyber pre-emptive attack prevent a physical war?
  • The strategy involved a swift pre-emptive attack to cripple their defenses.
  • International law often debates the legality of a pre-emptive attack.