The phrase "a preemptive strike" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts related to military action, strategy, or even metaphorically in business or personal situations where one takes action to prevent a potential problem.
Example: "The country decided to launch a preemptive strike to neutralize the threat before it escalated."
Alternatives: "preventive action" or "proactive measure".
Call this a preemptive strike, a deep sigh heard from space.
Early in 1632, Maximilian rashly ordered a preemptive strike, and Tilly moved northward to attack Gustav.
They unloaded savings banks they owned as a preemptive strike against tougher federal supervision.
However, most do tend to agree on several fundamental prerequisites for a preemptive strike to be conceived as potentially justifiable.
Haile Selassie's success persuaded Italy's ruler Benito Mussolini to undertake a preemptive strike before Ethiopia grew too strong to oppose Italian ambitions in the Horn of Africa.
Mr. Zebrowski stopped short of describing the situation as a battle with Albany, although he did say the counties were planning a preemptive strike.
The Cincinnati Reds took a preemptive strike, signing first baseman Joey Votto, to a 10-year, $225 million extension through 2023, ending trade speculation about their best player.
When Egyptian and Iraqi troops arrived in Jordan, giving every sign of an imminent pan-Arab attack, the Israeli Cabinet decided on a preemptive strike.
The advantage of a preemptive strike is that, by being the first to act decisively, a state renders the enemy unable to carry out aggressive intentions.
Re "Plowshare or Sword?" (May 25): The threat of nuclear weapons in Iran could become a self-fulfilling prophecy, prompting a developing Iran to seek protection under a nuclear umbrella from a preemptive strike by the United States.
Reports said South Korea had prepared a detailed plan for a preemptive strike that would reduce the North's capital, Pyongyang, to rubble and target the country's leader, Kim Jong-un.
