preening

present participle of preen

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for preening
Verb
  • There was inevitable goading of some players, gloating after two days when a historic lead had been opened up, and eventual victory.
    Kevin Coulson, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
  • The veteran broadcaster also gave a jab or eight to Trump, noting that the president’s gloating remarks about Kimmel’s suspension had generated enormous interest in the show.
    Lars Brandle, Billboard, 24 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Wooldridge’s message mentioned Paul the Apostle’s exulting in the principles of faith, hope and love.
    Jose R. Gonzalez, AZCentral.com, 14 Sep. 2025
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.

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Preening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preening. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on preening

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!