pretrial

adjective

pre·​tri·​al ˌprē-ˈtrī(-ə)l How to pronounce pretrial (audio)
variants or pre-trial
: occurring or existing before a trial
a pretrial hearing

Examples of pretrial in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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He and others were charged with loitering or prowling and misdemeanor obstruction, two charges that were ultimately dismissed after pretrial diversion. Shaddi Abusaid, AJC.com, 11 Feb. 2026 Prosecutors and defense attorneys had failed to reach an agreement, and pretrial proceedings were already scheduled for early 2026. Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 5 Feb. 2026 Roy Cooper is the only candidate who spent his career prosecuting violent criminals and keeping thousands of them behind bars as attorney general, and signing tough on crime laws and stricter pretrial release bail policy as governor. Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 4 Feb. 2026 Jones is being held at the Middlesex County Adult Correctional Center pending a pretrial detention hearing, according to NJ Advance Media. Muri Assunção, New York Daily News, 4 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pretrial

Word History

First Known Use

1894, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pretrial was in 1894

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pretrial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pretrial. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.

Legal Definition

pretrial

adjective
pre·​tri·​al
ˌprē-ˈtrī-əl
: existing or occurring before trial
a pretrial motion
a pretrial detainee
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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