Standard Lemma guide

preclude

verb · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK, US: /pɹɪˈkluːd/
  • UK, US: /pɹiːˈkluːd/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -uːd
  • CMU ARPABET: P R IH0 K L UW1 D Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
  • CMU ARPABET 2: P R IY0 K L UW1 D Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To remove the possibility of; to rule out; to prevent or exclude; to render impossible.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • It has been raining for days, but that doesn’t preclude the skies clearing by this afternoon!

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

keep from happening or arising; make impossible

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • My sense of tact forbids an honest answer
  • Your role in the projects precludes your involvement in the competitive project

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: prevent, forestall, foreclose, forbid

Antonyms: none provided

Narrower terms: save, make unnecessary, debar, forefend, forfend, obviate, deflect, avert, head off, stave off, fend off, avoid, ward off, obstruct, blockade, block, hinder, stymie, stymy, embarrass, thwart, queer, spoil, scotch, foil, cross, frustrate, baffle, bilk, stop, halt, kibosh

3

verb

Meaning 3

make impossible, especially beforehand

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: rule out, close out

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: obviate, rid of, eliminate

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *per- Proto-Indo-European *preh2- Proto-Indo-European *-i Proto-Indo-European *préh2i? Proto-Italic *prai Proto-Italic *prai- Latin prae- Latin clūdō Latin praeclūderelbor. English preclude Learned borrowing from Latin praeclūdere.

Across languages

Translations

48 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Cantonese: 排除 (paai4 ceoi4) — rule out
  • Chinese Cantonese: 杜絕 /杜绝 (dou6 zyut6) — rule out
  • Chinese Cantonese: 防止 (fong4 zi2) — rule out
  • Chinese Mandarin: 排除 (páichú) — rule out
  • Chinese Mandarin: 杜絕 /杜绝 (dùjué) — rule out
  • Chinese Mandarin: 防止 (fángzhǐ) — rule out
  • Czech: vyloučit — rule out
  • Czech: zabránit — rule out
  • Czech: zamezit — rule out
  • Czech: znemožnit — rule out
  • Danish: udelukke — rule out
  • Danish: umuliggøre — rule out
  • Dutch: uitsluiten — rule out
  • Dutch: precluderen — rule out
  • Esperanto: malebligi — rule out
  • Esperanto: bloki — rule out
  • Esperanto: bari — rule out
  • Finnish: sulkea pois — rule out
  • French: exclure — rule out
  • Georgian: გამორიცხავს (gamoricxavs) — rule out
  • German: ausschließen — rule out
  • German: verhindern — rule out
  • German: unmöglich machen — rule out
  • Greek: αποκλείω (apokleío) — rule out
  • Hungarian: kizár — rule out
  • Irish: coisc — rule out
  • Italian: precludere — rule out
  • Latin: praeclūdō — rule out
  • Polish: wykluczyć — rule out
  • Polish: wykluczać — rule out
  • Portuguese: excluir — rule out
  • Russian: предотвращать (predotvraščatʹ) — rule out
  • Russian: устранять (ustranjatʹ) — rule out
  • Russian: исключать (isključatʹ) — rule out
  • Russian: мешать (mešatʹ) — rule out
  • Russian: препятствовать (prepjatstvovatʹ) — rule out
  • Serbo-Croatian: isključiti — rule out
  • Slovak: znemožniť — rule out
  • Slovak: vylúčiť — rule out
  • Slovak: zamedziť — rule out
  • Slovak: zabrániť — rule out
  • Slovak: predísť — rule out
  • Spanish: descartar — rule out
  • Spanish: precluir — rule out
  • Spanish: imposibilitar — rule out
  • Ukrainian: унеможливлювати (unemožlyvljuvaty) — rule out
  • Ukrainian: робити неможливим (robyty nemožlyvym) — rule out
  • Ukrainian: виключати (vyključaty) — rule out