preteen

1 of 2

noun

pre·​teen ˈprē-ˈtēn How to pronounce preteen (audio)
-ˌtēn
: a boy or girl not yet 13 years old

preteen

2 of 2

adjective

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
Noun
The singer has had daughter Willow onstage before, with the preteen joining her mom during a concert last year. Hannah Sacks, Peoplemag, 19 Mar. 2024 The group, a 41-year-old woman and three preteens, got lost hiking the Friendship Trail in Kaneohe on March 2, the Honolulu Fire Department said in a news release. Daniella Segura, Sacramento Bee, 4 Mar. 2024 Nearly one in three preteens lists influencing as a career goal, and 11 percent of those born in Generation Z, between 1997 and 2012, describe themselves as influencers. Michael H. Keller, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2024 Lewis and David first met as preteens in a childhood sports camp, Lewis said in a 2023 interview with the Spectator. Nardine Saad, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2024 So is skin care necessary for preteens whose skin hasn’t been affected by aging or hormonal changes? Syeda Khaula Saad, Verywell Health, 12 Feb. 2024 And, while older generations may balk at the idea of preteens putting so much effort, attention, and, yes money into their skin at such a young age, Gen Alpha represents not only a more informed and connected generation than those past, but one growing up at a faster rate. Megan McIntyre, Allure, 6 Feb. 2024 The latest incarnation is a 12-year-old airbender named Aang (Gordon Cormier), an optimistic daredevil who has to balance global responsibility with the pressures of being a preteen. Devan Coggan, EW.com, 22 Feb. 2024 The preteen and his older brother went to a friend's house to get in some hangout time. Sarah Nelson, The Indianapolis Star, 18 Jan. 2024
Adjective
The writers — clearly guided by Netflix oversight — are aiming for an all-ages adventure, targeting both nostalgic millennials and a new generation of preteen fans. Devan Coggan, EW.com, 22 Feb. 2024 Later in the carousel, Mallette featured some photos of what appear to be Bieber’s preteen and teenage years before returning to today with a shot from the star’s 30th birthday festivities. Bailey Richards, Peoplemag, 3 Mar. 2024 The show is especially smart in letting its preteen protagonist be a preteen: Where the films aged up Percy and his friends to their late teens and early 20s, the charm of Riordan’s original books is how his 12-year-old hero actually feels like a 12-year-old. Devan Coggan, EW.com, 18 Dec. 2023 Continue reading … ‘WILDERNESS THERAPY’ – Suspicious death of preteen boy at controversial camp sheds light on troubling trend. Fox News, 16 Feb. 2024 Gretchen feels no connection either to her father’s new wife, Beth (Jessica Henwick), or Beth’s preteen daughter, Alma (Mimi Lieu). David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Feb. 2024 The person went on to talk about life with a preteen girl. Beth Ann Mayer, Parents, 13 Feb. 2024 Few movies capture the awkwardness and abject humiliation of the preteen experience as accurately as Eighth Grade, a film that writer-director Bo Burnham says was inspired by going on YouTube and watching vlogs with zero views. Katie Rife, EW.com, 16 Oct. 2023 The bond between the Houston Texans quarterback, 22, and the rap icon, 52, began a decade ago when a preteen Stroud started playing in the Snoop Youth Football League, the nonprofit organization that Snoop founded in 2005 to give inner-city kids the chance to play football. Brian Anthony Hernandez, Peoplemag, 21 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'preteen.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1938, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1929, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of preteen was in 1929

Dictionary Entries Near preteen

Cite this Entry

“Preteen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/preteen. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

preteen

1 of 2 noun
pre·​teen ˈprē-ˈtēn How to pronounce preteen (audio)
: a boy or girl not yet 13 years old

preteen

2 of 2 adjective
1
: 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

More from Merriam-Webster on preteen

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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