: existing or occurring before a game
a pregame party
the athlete's usual pregame meal/warm-up
The Bulls had finished their pregame shooting and were returning for the regular pregame meeting to go over the scouting report …—
Sam Smith
Sam Smith
pregamed; pregaming
US, informal
: to begin drinking alcohol before an event or activity (such as a party or a night out)
Her friends, all in their 20s and pregaming for a Saturday night out in the bars, nodded enthusiastically.—Dan Kois
Dan KoisOn the same principle, pregaming with a few shots before you arrive is a risky maneuver. You should be relatively sober when you present your host gift and size up the situation.—Pete Wells
Pete Wells
pregaming
noun
Pregaming … is the practice of consuming alcohol before going to a social event.
—Georgina Lawton
Georgina Lawton
… students reported higher rates of pregaming and alcohol-related blackouts than national averages.
—Tess Sohngen
Tess Sohngen
Examples of pregame in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 19 Apr. 2026
As Michael Massey began his pregame defensive work, Cameron took his slides off to reveal his bare feet.
—Kansas City Star, 7 Apr. 2026
Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 17 Apr. 2026
He was cheered pregame, too, and set to play about 25 minutes following a two-plus-month absence and 27 straight games sidelined because of a right knee injury.
—CBS News, 6 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pregame
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Adjective
Wallstedt, who admitted to some pregame nerves, set the tone for the way things would go early, looking completely unflappable in the opening 20 minutes.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 19 Apr. 2026
As Michael Massey began his pregame defensive work, Cameron took his slides off to reveal his bare feet.
—Kansas City Star, 7 Apr. 2026
Verb
Counsell said pregame that Horton’s UCL revision surgery would be a 15-16 month recovery process, so the pitcher wouldn’t be back until late in the 2027 season at the earliest.
—Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 17 Apr. 2026
He was cheered pregame, too, and set to play about 25 minutes following a two-plus-month absence and 27 straight games sidelined because of a right knee injury.
—CBS News, 6 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pregame
Cite this Entry
“Pregame.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pregame. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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