preheat

verb

pre·​heat (ˌ)prē-ˈhēt How to pronounce preheat (audio)
preheated; preheating; preheats

transitive verb

: to heat (something) beforehand
especially : to heat (an oven) to a designated temperature before using for cooking
preheater noun

Examples of preheat in a Sentence

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees before you put the roast in.
Recent Examples on the Web To make raw flour safe for eating, preheat the oven to 350°F. Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Sep. 2024 Cook’s note: To cook these foil packets on a grill, preheat the grill to medium heat. Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, 20 July 2024 After charring both sides of the steak, finish it off in the oven, which should be preheated to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Cailey Rizzo, Travel + Leisure, 24 June 2024 Remove the pan from the oven and preheat the broiler. Robin Miller, The Arizona Republic, 26 Mar. 2024 See all Example Sentences for preheat 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'preheat.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1898, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of preheat was in 1898

Dictionary Entries Near preheat

Cite this Entry

“Preheat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/preheat. Accessed 16 Sep. 2024.

Kids Definition

preheat

verb
pre·​heat (ˈ)prē-ˈhēt How to pronounce preheat (audio)
: to heat beforehand
preheat the oven to 400 degrees

More from Merriam-Webster on preheat

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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