1
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of preen
On Monday, Marshall went to the park and shared photos with a reporter of bottles, wrappers and other litter throughout the shoreline and in shallow areas where the birds gather and preen.
—
Ryan Gillespie, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 Feb. 2026
Its hero, Lee Raybon, played by Ethan Hawke, is a The Dude–esque detective-journalist, its baddies (played by Kyle MacLachlan, Paul Sparks, and Tracy Letts) glower and preen, and Keith David’s uneasy sidekick swings between humor and gravitas.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025
The outfits change, the hair changes, the choreography changes — but the primal urge to preen, prance, and get the f— out of our own heads is eternal.
—Merle Ginsberg, HollywoodReporter, 18 Nov. 2025
Ace holds center stage, knees bent, slung low to the ground, brandishing his Gibson while Gene and Paul preen on either side of him.
—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for preen
Ryan Gillespie, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 Feb. 2026
Its hero, Lee Raybon, played by Ethan Hawke, is a The Dude–esque detective-journalist, its baddies (played by Kyle MacLachlan, Paul Sparks, and Tracy Letts) glower and preen, and Keith David’s uneasy sidekick swings between humor and gravitas.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025
The outfits change, the hair changes, the choreography changes — but the primal urge to preen, prance, and get the f— out of our own heads is eternal.
—Merle Ginsberg, HollywoodReporter, 18 Nov. 2025
Ace holds center stage, knees bent, slung low to the ground, brandishing his Gibson while Gene and Paul preen on either side of him.
—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for preen
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preen
Verb
-
The gloating tones were not unlike those of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth describing the fate of Iranians under American bombardment.—
Max Hastings,
Twin Cities,
5 Apr. 2026
-
The gloating tones were not unlike those of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth describing the fate of Iranians under American bombardment.—
Max Hastings,
Mercury News,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The television crews started gathering outside the courthouse not long after sunrise—cameramen in cargo shorts and primped anchors drawn by the gravitational pull of tragedy.—
Maxwell Adler,
Vanity Fair,
29 Apr. 2026
-
In the restroom, women nervously adjusted their swimsuits and primped in the mirror.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Messi, at 35, led his country to glory against France, winning soccer’s ultimate prize in a pulsating match that finished 3-3 after extra time and had to be settled by a nerve-wracking penalty shootout.—
Patrick Smith,
NBC News,
19 Dec. 2022
-
If Harris can bring together a family with Indian, African, and Jewish heritage, America can glory in its diversity.—
Fintan O’Toole,
The New York Review of Books,
26 Aug. 2020
Verb
-
My assignment was to ruminate on the quiet, to contemplate it, and if all went well, to exult in it.—
Matt Crossman,
Midwest Living,
14 Apr. 2026
-
Watching from New Orleans, former Huskers star guard Tyronn Lue exulted.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
20 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Preen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preen. Accessed 15 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
