predawn

adjective

pre·​dawn ˌprē-ˈdȯn 

-ˈdän

variants or less commonly pre-dawn

: existing or occurring before dawn

a predawn attack

the predawn hours

… the gigantic telescope started scanning the predawn sky.

—Howard Blum

predawn noun

or less commonly pre-dawn

plural predawns also pre-dawns

The most bone-chilling predawns create the sharpest sunrises.

—Christine Schultz

… stepping out into the quiet pre-dawn, closing the door.

—Bryan Burrough

Examples of predawn in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Joshua Deel, 39, is accused of killing his ex-wife Shawn Deel, 39, her daughter Abigale Sloan, 18, and her son Dekota Sloan, 16, in the predawn hours of July 21, the Cabell County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. — Chris Spargo, PEOPLE, 23 July 2026

The Perseids are best seen from the Northern Hemisphere in the predawn hours, per NASA, but they can be viewed throughout the evening. — Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 21 July 2026

Gran Grif operates in the country’s heartland, where dozens of houses were looted and burned and during a predawn assault in March in the town of Jean-Denis in the Lower Artibonite region. — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 13 July 2026

Between July 11-12, the moon will appear with Mars, Saturn and Uranus in the predawn sky across the US and beyond. — Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 10 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1883, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for predawn

• anton
• argon
• axon
• baronne
• baryon
• baton
• boron
• buisson
• bygone
• capon
• cardon
• chiffon