: 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
Chase Michaelson, Detroit Free Press, 11 Nov. 2019
Arizona State football: 4 game tickets in the Athletic Director’s suite with pregame sideline passes and parking pass.
—Jeff Metcalfe, azcentral, 1 May 2020
Heran Mamo, Billboard, 30 May 2025
The event's unique take on nightlife has attendees like Jackson waking up on the weekend to pregame at 7:30 a.m. with their friends.
—Taylor Ardrey, USA Today, 24 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for pregame
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Adjective
Breslin Center held a pregame moment of silence in Zachary’s memory, during which both Cassius and Izzo were visibly emotional.
—Chase Michaelson, Detroit Free Press, 11 Nov. 2019
Arizona State football: 4 game tickets in the Athletic Director’s suite with pregame sideline passes and parking pass.
—Jeff Metcalfe, azcentral, 1 May 2020
Verb
Check out our latest Fresh Picks, and pregame the summer season with our Spotify playlist below.
—Heran Mamo, Billboard, 30 May 2025
The event's unique take on nightlife has attendees like Jackson waking up on the weekend to pregame at 7:30 a.m. with their friends.
—Taylor Ardrey, USA Today, 24 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for pregame
Cite this Entry
“Pregame.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pregame. Accessed 14 Jul. 2025.
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