Synonyms

preclude

American

[pri-klood] / prɪˈklud /

verb (used with object)

to prevent the presence, existence, or occurrence of; make impossible.

The insufficiency of the evidence precludes a conviction.

Synonyms:

eliminate, forestall
to exclude or debar from something.

His contract precludes a raise for him.

preclude British

/ prɪˈkluːd, prɪˈkluːʒən, prɪˈkluːsɪv /

verb

to exclude or debar
to make impossible, esp beforehand

"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

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

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:

preclude vs. exclude

Explanation

To preclude something is to prevent it from happening. A muzzle precludes a dog from biting. This is a very formal word, but it has a simple meaning: when something is precluded, it can't happen. See the prefix pre in preclude and in prevent? It is signaling that these words are all about things done before another action would happen — to make it impossible. Staying away from water precludes the possibility of drowning, though it also precludes any chance of having fun swimming.

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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.

Even if a bubble already has burst, “that doesn’t preclude a big correction in the index if corporate earnings falter,” Higgins wrote.

From Barron's • Mar. 25, 2026

Along with all the other abuses uncovered during the Watergate era, new rules governing the FBI were put in place to preclude such abuses from happening again.

From Salon • Mar. 12, 2026

Gustav von Aschenbach might be a literary light of early 20th-century Munich, but that doesn’t preclude him from wanting a break from workaday life.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 4, 2026

"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 • Feb. 2, 2026

“I rather hope to satisfy you both,” said Emma, “for I shall do all in my power to make them happy, which will be enough for Isabella; and happiness must preclude false indulgence and physic.”

From "Emma" by Jane Austen

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