: a boy or girl not yet 13 years old
1
: relating to or produced for children especially in the 9 to 12 year-old age group
preteen fashions
2
: being younger than 13
Examples of preteen in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Danielle Chemtob, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025
In a GoFundMe page set up by the preteen's aunt, Eslinger's family said she was swept away by a current while in the water
A search is underway for a 10-year-old girl who went missing while swimming in Florida.
—Charlotte Phillipp, People.com, 14 June 2025
Shelly Bradbury, Denver Post, 23 June 2025
Eli Mintz, a Yiddish-theatre star, played Uncle David with a high, wheedling voice, his hands a blur of gesticulation, and the Goldberg children were portrayed by Gentile actors, including the endearing Arlene (Fuzzy) McQuade as the preteen Rosalie, a studious girl with a sleek bob.
—Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 9 June 2025
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Noun
Millennials and Gen Z may have kicked off the current skincare trend, but thanks to social media, Gen Alpha’s teens and preteens are increasingly interested in the same face serums and multistep routines their parents follow.
—Danielle Chemtob, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025
In a GoFundMe page set up by the preteen's aunt, Eslinger's family said she was swept away by a current while in the water
A search is underway for a 10-year-old girl who went missing while swimming in Florida.
—Charlotte Phillipp, People.com, 14 June 2025
Adjective
The preteen skier, whom The Denver Post is not identifying, said Hedges groped and assaulted him after the boy laid down to sleep.
—Shelly Bradbury, Denver Post, 23 June 2025
Eli Mintz, a Yiddish-theatre star, played Uncle David with a high, wheedling voice, his hands a blur of gesticulation, and the Goldberg children were portrayed by Gentile actors, including the endearing Arlene (Fuzzy) McQuade as the preteen Rosalie, a studious girl with a sleek bob.
—Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 9 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for preteen
Cite this Entry
“Preteen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/preteen. Accessed 13 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
preteen
1 of 2 noun
pre·teen
ˈprē-ˈtēn 
: a boy or girl not yet 13 years old
preteen
2 of 2 adjective1
: relating to or produced for children especially in the 9 to 12 year-old age group
preteen fashions
2
: being younger than 13 years old
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