preseason

noun

pre·​sea·​son ˌprē-ˈsē-zᵊn How to pronounce preseason (audio)
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
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.
The furry fellow made his preseason debut in the locker room at the Ohio university over the summer, Carlson tells PEOPLE, and things haven’t been the same since. Anna Lazarus Caplan, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2025 James has missed the start of the season due to a sciatica nerve issue, which affected his preseason ramp-up and will leave him out for the first few weeks of the season. Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025 Barkov crumpled to the ice during the team’s first full preseason practice after minor contact Thursday. Miami Herald, 26 Oct. 2025 Sanders had an impressive preseason but an injury upended his chance at becoming QB2 behind Joe Flacco. Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 26 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for preseason

Word History

First Known Use

1914, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of preseason was in 1914

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Cite this Entry

“Preseason.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/preseason. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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