pretrial
adjective
pre·tri·al
ˌprē-ˈtrī(-ə)l 
variants
or pre-trial
: occurring or existing before a trial
a pretrial hearing
Examples of pretrial in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
That motion will be argued during a pretrial conference that is scheduled for June 17.
—
Matt Schooley, CBS News, 15 Apr. 2026
The atmosphere was hushed and businesslike; this was a routine pretrial hearing, and only a few other spectators joined me in the gallery.
—Patrick Radden Keefe, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
In the same filing, Baldoni’s attorneys pushed back on the Gossip Girl alum's request to require immediate clarity on which witnesses will testify live versus by deposition, as both sides continue to clash over pretrial disclosures.
—Elizabeth Rosner, PEOPLE, 10 Apr. 2026
By then, the case had entered a final, arduous pretrial stage called summary judgment.
—Joe Mahr, Chicago Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pretrial
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Matt Schooley, CBS News, 15 Apr. 2026
The atmosphere was hushed and businesslike; this was a routine pretrial hearing, and only a few other spectators joined me in the gallery.
—Patrick Radden Keefe, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
In the same filing, Baldoni’s attorneys pushed back on the Gossip Girl alum's request to require immediate clarity on which witnesses will testify live versus by deposition, as both sides continue to clash over pretrial disclosures.
—Elizabeth Rosner, PEOPLE, 10 Apr. 2026
By then, the case had entered a final, arduous pretrial stage called summary judgment.
—Joe Mahr, Chicago Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pretrial
Cite this Entry
“Pretrial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pretrial. Accessed 17 Apr. 2026.
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