preteen 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of preteennext
as in teenage

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

preteen

2 of 2

noun

as in teen

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

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 preteen
Adjective
She’s recently expanded into preteen, teen and baby parenting territory, further growing her following. — Madeline Mitchell, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2026 There’s no greater satisfaction than buying the garment or accessory coveted in preteen years spent poring over magazines. — Selene Oliva, Vogue, 26 Mar. 2026
Noun
The preteen’s board also shared a glimpse into Luna’s hopes for the future, as well as some of her favorite things. — Kirsty Hatcher, PEOPLE, 3 Sep. 2026 In 2021, he was accused of molesting two preteen brothers during the early 1970s while serving as choir director at Precious Blood Catholic Church. — Allison Kiehl, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for preteen
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preteen
  1. teenage
  2. teen
  3. young
  4. teenager
  5. underage
  6. tween
  7. adolescent
  8. kid
Adjective
  • This is someone who’s essentially been robbed of her childhood and teenage years who’s finally able to let loose.
    — Marlow Stern, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
  • An unexploded munition detonated during a school trip along Israel's northern border with Lebanon on Monday, killing a teenage boy and injuring 24 others, Israeli authorities and rescue workers said.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of teenage
Noun
  • Willow, a one-time teen star now employed as a casting assistant, carries most of the strain.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Florida accuses the company of knowingly engineering its platforms to be addictive to teens, and misleading consumers about its safety.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of teen
Adjective
  • In the film, Thị Mầu is a gifted young beauty hemmed in by rigid custom and the demands of her family.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The Child Mind Institute notes that losing a close friendship can be emotionally painful for young people, and urges adults to take those experiences seriously rather than brushing them off.
    — Ashley Lynch, Sacbee.com, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of young
Noun
  • French youths have been demonstrating over poor conditions at school buildings, and analysts expect unrest to intensify after a teenager’s hand was blown off by a riot police sting grenade.
    — Morgan Chalfant, semafor.com, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The widespread use of arrests, tear gas and riot-control weapons against teenagers is fueling defiance and angering some parents and teachers.
    — NICOLAS GARRIGA, Arkansas Online, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of teenager
Adjective
  • Under California law, businesses with liquor licenses can be penalized for allowing underage people inside.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Schools also faced the possibility of lawsuits over underage drinking.
    — Pietro A. Sasso, The Conversation, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of underage
Noun
  • Bicks was hired after Harvey could no longer pass as a tween.
    — Samantha Bergeson, Vanity Fair, 24 Sep. 2026
  • When her adorable tween Sun-woo leaves for camp, single mother So-young (Kim Hyun-joo) waves goodbye as his bus departs, while something ominous hangs in the air.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, IndieWire, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of tween
Adjective
  • Changes in the adolescent brain make teenagers increasingly attentive to their social worlds, says Wayne State University psychology professor Hannah Schacter.
    — Ashley Lynch, Sacbee.com, 12 Oct. 2026
  • At present, the autonomous vehicle is an adolescent product in more ways than one.
    — Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of adolescent
Noun
  • But that also ties some kids’ savings to a single company’s fortunes.
    — Sydney Lake, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2026
  • The kind of life admin tasks like swim lesson sign-ups and appointment confirmations that pile up with alarming frequency in a house of one preschool-age kid and two adults with full-time jobs.
    — Allison Johnson, The Verge, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of kid

Browse Nearby Words

prêt-à-porter
preteen
preteen-ager
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Preteen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preteen. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Why do we call it a 'flea market'?
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All