variants
or preppie
plural preppies
1
: a student at or a graduate of a preparatory school
2
: a person deemed to dress or behave like a preppy
variants
or preppie
1
: relating to, characteristic of, or being a preppy
2
: relating to or being a style of dress characterized especially by classic clothing and neat appearance
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Slang Meaning of Preppy
A new use of preppy refers to a casual but upscale fashion trend, especially popular among preteen girls in the early 2020s, marked by bright colors and playful patterns. Some hallmarks include pastel pinks and blues, designs involving smiley faces and lightning bolts, athleisure, pleated miniskirts, baggy or cropped tops, hair bows, skincare products, and trendy accessories, with a premium placed on name brands. Learn more >
Examples of preppy in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Sam Reed, Glamour, 21 July 2025
Dior’s take skews preppy, with items such as polo shirts and V-neck sweaters worn with Bermuda shorts or pleated pants, and jackets and blazers in muted checks.
—Joelle Diderich, WWD, 21 Jan. 2025
Brendan Le, People.com, 29 July 2025
Lauren, who is also a proud villa owner at Round Hill, has been instrumental in shaping the hotel’s design, infusing it with his elegant but preppy style.
—Katie Kelly Bell, Forbes.com, 21 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for preppy
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Noun
Depending on the occasion, Gomez will opt for something a little traditional and super polished, while Swift tends to keep it more playful preppy.
—Sam Reed, Glamour, 21 July 2025
Dior’s take skews preppy, with items such as polo shirts and V-neck sweaters worn with Bermuda shorts or pleated pants, and jackets and blazers in muted checks.
—Joelle Diderich, WWD, 21 Jan. 2025
Adjective
For her July 28 appearance on Good Morning America, the actress pulled up in an outfit that recalled Annie James from The Parent Trap's preppy British style.
—Brendan Le, People.com, 29 July 2025
Lauren, who is also a proud villa owner at Round Hill, has been instrumental in shaping the hotel’s design, infusing it with his elegant but preppy style.
—Katie Kelly Bell, Forbes.com, 21 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for preppy
Cite this Entry
“Preppy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/preppy. Accessed 4 Aug. 2025.
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