preventive war

noun

, Military.

1. an attack against a presumed enemy to prevent a possible attack by that enemy at a later time: because preventive wars are prompted more by speculation than by clearly imminent danger, they generally are considered unacceptable in international law.

Word History and Origins

Origin of preventive war¹

First recorded in 1630–40

Example Sentences

Bhattacharya shows how this unabashedly forthright treatment of “morally fraught matters” earned von Neumann a reputation for hawkishness, as did his support for the logic of “preventive war.”

From New York Times

As George W. Bush’s vice president in the 2000s, Cheney would emerge as a fierce hawk — an advocate for covert action, preventive war and torture.

From New York Times

Presidential freedom to unilaterally commit acts of war unrelated to imminent threats would amount to an uncircumscribed power to undertake not just limited preemptive actions but to wage preventive war whenever a president unilaterally decides this might enhance national security.

From Washington Post

Recall that George W. Bush’s doctrine of preventive war — sometimes disguised as “anticipatory self-defense” — elicited only modest opposition at best, largely along partisan lines.

From Salon

Just months before joining the administration, he tried to make the legal case for a preventive war against Pyongyang.

From The Guardian