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
Show after show delivered beautiful tailoring and thoughtful outerwear, pieces designed to live in rather than preen in.
—
Lisa Lockwood,
Footwear News,
17 Feb. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for preen
Lisa Lockwood,
Footwear News,
17 Feb. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for preen
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preen
Verb
-
Trump gloated publicly over both exits.
-
A lot of this was just gloating.
Verb
-
The small reception desk seems tight on space, but most employees are out in the lobby welcoming guests, straightening pillows in the waterfront lounge, and primping the magnificent flower arrangements anyway.
-
Plus, check out the rest of her hair primping routine and some more on-sale options to shop during the retailer's Big Spring Sale below.
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.
-
If Harris can bring together a family with Indian, African, and Jewish heritage, America can glory in its diversity.
Verb
-
My assignment was to ruminate on the quiet, to contemplate it, and if all went well, to exult in it.
-
Watching from New Orleans, former Huskers star guard Tyronn Lue exulted.
Cite this Entry
“Preen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preen. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
