preclude
Make impossible beforehand
To preclude something is to prevent it from happening or make it impossible: His injury precluded him from competing.
The word often appears in formal or legal contexts: The settlement precludes future lawsuits.
Something that precludes another thing rules it out in advance—the two cannot coexist.
Prevent by prior action
- prohibitFormally disallow
- forbidDeclare not allowed
- disallowRefuse to permit
- banOfficial restriction on something
stop · halt · block · obstruct · impede · thwart · inhibit · restrict
Act to prevent
- anticipateExpect beforehand
- forecloseReclaim mortgaged property
- head offPrevent by acting first
- fend offDeflect an advance
ward off · stave off · cut off · nip in the bud · circumvent · derail · intercept
Remove completely
- disqualifyDeclare unfit to compete
- rejectDismiss as unsuitable
- shut outPrevent all scoring
- lock outBar from premises
close off · blacklist · debar · bar · remove · expel · screen out · filter out
Impossible to acquire
- unachievableCannot be accomplished
- infeasibleNot capable of achievement
- insurmountableImpossible to overcome
- impossibleIncapable of occurring
unrealizable · unworkable · impracticable · undoable · inaccessible · unobtainable · hopeless · unrealistic
Something blocking the way
- barrierObstruction preventing passage
- impedimentThing that obstructs progress
- obstructionSomething blocking the way
- hindranceBarrier to progress
blockade · restriction · constraint · limitation · deterrent · encumbrance · check · roadblock
forestall
Prevent by prior action
ban · stop · halt · block · obstruct · impede · thwart · inhibit · restrict · bar
preempt
Act to prevent
- anticipateExpect beforehand
- forecloseReclaim mortgaged property
- head offPrevent by acting first
fend off · ward off · stave off · cut off · nip in the bud · circumvent · derail · intercept
eliminate
Remove completely
- disqualifyDeclare unfit to compete
- rejectDismiss as unsuitable
- shut outPrevent all scoring
lock out · close off · blacklist · debar · bar · remove · expel · screen out · filter out · count out
unattainable
Impossible to acquire
- unachievableCannot be accomplished
- infeasibleNot capable of achievement
- insurmountableImpossible to overcome
impossible · unrealizable · unworkable · impracticable · undoable · inaccessible · unobtainable · hopeless · unrealistic · insuperable
obstacle
Something blocking the way
- barrierObstruction preventing passage
- impedimentThing that obstructs progress
- obstructionSomething blocking the way
hindrance · blockade · restriction · constraint · limitation · deterrent · encumbrance · check · roadblock · stumbling block
- prohibitionsban, forbid, prohibition, forbidden, prohibit