pregame

adjective pre·game \ ˈprē-ˌgām \

|Updated on: 11 Jun 2018

Definition of pregame

: 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

See pregame defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of pregame from the Web

The turkey also accompanied Louisville captains to midfield for the pregame coin toss.

— ron higgins, NOLA.com, "LSU's Ed Orgeron might be a bit crazy, but it's whatever gets the job done," 16 May 2018
On the front steps of Roosevelt High School in Seattle on Saturday morning, pregame excitement for a soccer match was in the air.

— New York Times, "New Reality for High School Students: Calculating the Risk of Getting Shot," 20 May 2018
For the first two nights in Houston, the Orioles indulged two pregame ceremonies, a championship banner unveiling Monday and ring ceremony Tuesday.

— eduardo a. encina, baltimoresun.com, "Orioles swept out of Houston, 3-2; losing streak at five," 4 Apr. 2018
The watchful eyes of the beat writers tend to do the same thing during their pregame time in the clubhouse, though usually the golden rule of Las Vegas is strictly followed.

— jeff wilson, star-telegram, "What is Rangers' DeShields writing in those notebooks? | Fort Worth Star-Telegram," 5 May 2018
Our Scott Lauber, who is on the road trip with the Phils, explained why those pregame positive vibes did not pan out for the manager or his team.

— bob brookover, Philly.com, "Injuries lead to auditions for Phillies | Extra Innings," 1 May 2018
Father’s Day Catch on the Field, June 17: Ticket packages will include a pregame session of Father’s Day catch on the field at Oriole Park and two tickets to the game, with the opportunity to add additional tickets and field passes.

— the baltimore sun, baltimoresun.com, "Orioles announce series of theme nights: LBGT Pride, Star Wars, Sandlot, Game of Thrones and more," 19 Apr. 2018
However, the pregame coin flip offered a glimpse at who will be in positions of leadership this season.

— chris solari, Detroit Free Press, "Michigan State football: Matt Allen gets start for Spartans at center," 7 Apr. 2018
Rizzo, who will participate in pregame ceremonies Friday to honor the victims and their relatives, visited his hometown two days before and even watched the Douglas Eagles cruise to a 15-0 baseball victory.

— jorge l. ortiz, USA TODAY, "Anthony Rizzo's home run an 'out-of-body experience' on emotional Opening Day," 29 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pregame.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of pregame

1906

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

pregame

verb pre·game \ ˌprē-ˈgām \

Definition of pregame

pregamed; pregaming

intransitive verb

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

On 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

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pregaming

noun

- Pregaming … is the practice of consuming alcohol before going to a social event.
- —Georgina Lawton
- … students reported higher rates of pregaming and alcohol-related blackouts than national averages.
- —Tess Sohngen