preseason

noun

pre·​sea·​son ˌprē-ˈsē-zᵊn How to pronounce preseason (audio)
ˈprē-ˌsē-zᵊn
plural preseasons
: a period of time immediately preceding a season
tourists who visit during the preseason
especially : a training period preceding a sport's regular season in which teams compete in unofficial games
The preseason starts in two weeks.
performed well in (the) preseason
Quarterback John Friesz was lost for the year in the preseason to knee surgery. Paul Zimmerman
Dennis Rodman's mysterious boycott finally ended on Monday when he arrived for practice for the first time since the start of preseason. Jack McCallum
preseason adjective
preseason football
preseason training
the preseason opener/finale
preseason rankings/polls
the preseason favorite

Examples of preseason in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
All four are expected to play Thursday in their preseason NFL debuts. Daniel Popper, New York Times, 31 July 2025 A lot is left to play out not only in Oxnard, but in three upcoming preseason games that begin with a trip to Los Angeles to take on the Rams on Aug. 9. Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 July 2025 The Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Chargers will meet on Thursday in Canton, Ohio, to officially kick off the preseason. Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 30 July 2025 Lyon is targeting a fourth straight clean sheet in as many preseason outings, while Mallorca has won both of its preseason matches. Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for preseason

Word History

First Known Use

1914, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of preseason was in 1914

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Cite this Entry

“Preseason.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/preseason. Accessed 7 Aug. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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