preclude
preclude Lexical Profile
preclude Game Scores & Validity
• verb
To prevent from happening; to make an action, event, or outcome impossible.
"The sudden drop in temperature did not preclude an enjoyable afternoon walk through the botanical gardens."
To prevent or exclude a person from doing something or participating in an activity.
"A prior scheduling conflict precluded the keynote speaker from attending the opening reception."
Word Nuance & Usage
When followed by a person and an action, "preclude" takes the preposition "from" plus a gerund (e.g., "His injury precluded him from competing"), whereas it takes a direct object when referring to an event or possibility (e.g., "His injury precluded his participation").
• Rhymes for preclude
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the early 17th century from Latin praecludere, meaning "to shut off" or "to impede," formed from prae- ("before") and claudere ("to shut" or "to close").