pre-exposure
adjective
pre-ex·po·sure
ˌprē-ik-ˈspō-zhər 
variants
or less commonly preexposure
: occurring, administered, used, or being in the period preceding exposure (as to a stimulus or a pathogen)
pre-exposure rabies vaccination
Canon has also added a red-eye reduction pre-exposure light …—
Herbert Keppler
see also pre-exposure prophylaxis
Herbert Keppler
pre-exposure
noun
Rats differ from monkeys and chicks in that simultaneous pre-exposure to two stimuli does facilitate their subsequent discrimination …
—R. A. Hinde
R. A. Hinde
Examples of pre-exposure in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In addition to such highly effective barrier methods of prevention, there are newer medicines—like pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, and PEP for post-exposure protection.
—Victoria Uwumarogie, Essence, 21 July 2025
The Task Force is in charge of recommending preventive healthcare services and technologies that ought to be covered by insurers, such as cancer screenings, cholesterol medications and HIV prevention drugs or pre-exposure prophylaxis, at no cost to patients.
—Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes.com, 7 July 2025
Friday's case arose when the preventive care task force classified pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) drugs as essential to preventing HIV.
—Nina Totenberg, NPR, 27 June 2025
For nearly twelve years, Gilead had been selling a pill named Truvada as a preventive treatment called pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP.
—Jon Cohen, New Yorker, 24 June 2025
In clinical trials, the drug was found to dramatically reduce the risk of infection and provide near-total protection against HIV, significantly more than the primary options available for pre-exposure prophylaxis or PrEP.
—Jacqueline Howard, CNN Money, 18 June 2025
The study provides aggressive case management to help patients navigate the health care system and stay on the treatment, known as pre-exposure prophylaxis or PrEP, which is available in both oral and injectable forms.
—ProPublica, 12 June 2025
Preventative medicines such as pre-exposure prophylaxis, widely known as PrEP, and further education empower Black women to thrive with a better quality of life.
—Maisha Standifer, Essence, 16 May 2025
That regimen, known as pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, is credited with helping beat back the disease in young people.
—Benjamin Mueller, New York Times, 4 May 2025
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Victoria Uwumarogie, Essence, 21 July 2025
The Task Force is in charge of recommending preventive healthcare services and technologies that ought to be covered by insurers, such as cancer screenings, cholesterol medications and HIV prevention drugs or pre-exposure prophylaxis, at no cost to patients.
—Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes.com, 7 July 2025
Friday's case arose when the preventive care task force classified pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) drugs as essential to preventing HIV.
—Nina Totenberg, NPR, 27 June 2025
For nearly twelve years, Gilead had been selling a pill named Truvada as a preventive treatment called pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP.
—Jon Cohen, New Yorker, 24 June 2025
In clinical trials, the drug was found to dramatically reduce the risk of infection and provide near-total protection against HIV, significantly more than the primary options available for pre-exposure prophylaxis or PrEP.
—Jacqueline Howard, CNN Money, 18 June 2025
The study provides aggressive case management to help patients navigate the health care system and stay on the treatment, known as pre-exposure prophylaxis or PrEP, which is available in both oral and injectable forms.
—ProPublica, 12 June 2025
Preventative medicines such as pre-exposure prophylaxis, widely known as PrEP, and further education empower Black women to thrive with a better quality of life.
—Maisha Standifer, Essence, 16 May 2025
That regimen, known as pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, is credited with helping beat back the disease in young people.
—Benjamin Mueller, New York Times, 4 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pre-exposure.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pre-exposure. Accessed 25 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
pre-exposure
adjective
pre-ex·po·sure
-ik-ˈspō-zhər
variants
preexposure
: of, relating to, occurring in, or being the period preceding exposure (as to a stimulus or a pathogen)
pre-exposure immunization
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