preseason

noun

pre·​sea·​son ˌprē-ˈsē-zᵊn 

ˈprē-ˌsē-zᵊn

plural preseasons

: a period of time immediately preceding a season

tourists who visit during the preseason

especially : a training period preceding a sport's regular season in which teams compete in unofficial games

The preseason starts in two weeks.

performed well in (the) preseason

Quarterback John Friesz was lost for the year in the preseason to knee surgery.

—Paul Zimmerman

Dennis Rodman's mysterious boycott finally ended on Monday when he arrived for practice for the first time since the start of preseason.

—Jack McCallum

preseason adjective

preseason football

preseason training

the preseason opener/finale

preseason rankings/polls

the preseason favorite

Examples of preseason in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Athletic’s press pass for that evening’s preseason game was revoked. —Sean Gentille, New York Times, 2 June 2026

The Patriots and Eagles play August 22 in a preseason game, and are scheduled to hold joint practices before the game. —Matt Schooley, CBS News, 1 June 2026

After each team’s final preseason game, they are allowed three practices before a mandatory four days off, which, according to Shanahan, the trip to Melbourne will take away. —Sean Campbell, Sacbee.com, 1 June 2026

Back in October of 2024, Towns arrived at his first preseason game as a Knick wearing a 1999 NBA Finals T-shirt. —Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 1 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1914, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for preseason

• milesian
• partizan
• postseason
• unreason
• reason
• season
• seizin
• treason