pretrial

adjective

pre·​tri·​al ˌprē-ˈtrī(-ə)l How to pronounce pretrial (audio)
variants or pre-trial
: occurring or existing before a trial
a pretrial hearing

Examples of pretrial in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Defense attorneys argued the motion is unnecessary and that prosecutors started the pretrial publicity with their own news conference. Sacbee.com, 2 June 2026 That process will likely include scheduling hearings, revisiting pretrial motions, handling evidence disagreements and setting a possible new trial date. Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 1 June 2026 The court denied the state’s petition for pretrial detention, and Price was released pending a future trial, according to police. Claire Murphy, Chicago Tribune, 1 June 2026 Dali owner, operators' defense During pretrial proceedings, several crew members aboard the cargo ship Dali at the time of the collapse invoked their Fifth Amendment rights during depositions. Drew Aunkst, CBS News, 31 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for pretrial

Word History

First Known Use

1894, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pretrial was in 1894

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pretrial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pretrial. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.

Legal Definition

pretrial

adjective
pre·​tri·​al
ˌprē-ˈtrī-əl
: existing or occurring before trial
a pretrial motion
a pretrial detainee
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster