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
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That development made Wright, who had a 69-yard touchdown run in the preseason, expendable. Andrew Destin, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026 Miller played decently during the Dolphins’ preseason finale and had some good moments during the final two weeks of training camp. Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 30 Aug. 2026 The backup tackles for the Cowboys did not perform well in training camp and preseason, leaving the team searching the trade market for a reliable placement. Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Aug. 2026 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 2 Sep. 2026.

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