pretreat
verb
pre·treat
ˌprē-ˈtrēt 
variants
or pre-treat
pretreated or pre-treated; pretreating or pre-treating
: to treat previously : to subject to pretreatment
pretreat the stain before washing
pretreated the roads with sand/salt before the snowstorm
pretreating wastewater
… he now pretreats patients with medicines to counter possible reactions.—
Elisabeth Rosenthal
Elisabeth RosenthalExamples of pretreat in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
For stubborn stains, pretreat them with the appropriate solution before tackling the more wipeable messes.
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 25 Oct. 2024
To use dish soap to pretreat a lipstick stain, apply it directly onto the stain, making sure to cover it completely.
—Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Oct. 2024
It can be used to pretreat washable fabrics before laundering, or in concert with an upholstery brush or carpet cleaning machine on non-washable items like furniture or mattresses.
—Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Sep. 2024
Pretreat Stains Before washing, pretreat any stains using a stain formula specifically suited for your robe’s fabric.
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 6 Aug. 2024
After applying the bluing to pretreat the stain, launder the item as usual.
—Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 July 2024
After removing all the gum using one of our strategies below, pretreat the area with stain remover spray or a hefty dab of dish or laundry soap before laundering.
—Ann Wilson, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Oct. 2023
If your comforter becomes soiled, pretreat the stain right away.
—Maria V. Charbonneaux, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 June 2023
Benton County Road Department crews will pretreat roads with salt brine when the rain stops ahead of what may happen Wednesday and Thursday, said Jay Frasier, county administrator of public services.
—Mike Jones, Arkansas Online, 22 Feb. 2022
Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 25 Oct. 2024
To use dish soap to pretreat a lipstick stain, apply it directly onto the stain, making sure to cover it completely.
—Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Oct. 2024
It can be used to pretreat washable fabrics before laundering, or in concert with an upholstery brush or carpet cleaning machine on non-washable items like furniture or mattresses.
—Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Sep. 2024
Pretreat Stains Before washing, pretreat any stains using a stain formula specifically suited for your robe’s fabric.
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 6 Aug. 2024
After applying the bluing to pretreat the stain, launder the item as usual.
—Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 July 2024
After removing all the gum using one of our strategies below, pretreat the area with stain remover spray or a hefty dab of dish or laundry soap before laundering.
—Ann Wilson, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Oct. 2023
If your comforter becomes soiled, pretreat the stain right away.
—Maria V. Charbonneaux, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 June 2023
Benton County Road Department crews will pretreat roads with salt brine when the rain stops ahead of what may happen Wednesday and Thursday, said Jay Frasier, county administrator of public services.
—Mike Jones, Arkansas Online, 22 Feb. 2022
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pretreat.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near pretreat
Cite this Entry
“Pretreat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pretreat. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
pretreat
transitive verb
pre·treat
-ˈtrēt
: to subject to pretreatment
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