Precluding

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Actively stopping something from happening or making it impossible to occur
2. Causing a situation to be unachievable or blocking its occurrence
3. Bringing about a condition that excludes or rules out a possibility

Etymology: "Precluding" is the present participle of "preclude," which English borrowed from Latin "praeclūdere," a compound of "prae," meaning "before" or "in front," and "claudere," meaning "to close" or "shut." The literal picture is of shutting a door in advance, so that whatever lay beyond it can no longer be reached. Latin "claudere" also gave English words such as "close," "include," and "conclude," all of which share that core sense of closing something in or off. The English verb took on its current abstract meaning of making something impossible or ruling it out beforehand. The participle "precluding" therefore describes an action that bars a later outcome before it can happen, much as a bolt placed across a gate prevents anyone from passing through.

Synonyms: preventing, excluding, prohibiting, dissuading, hindering

Antonyms: allowing, permitting, enabling, facilitating, encouraging