predawn

adjective

pre·​dawn ˌprē-ˈdȯn How to pronounce predawn (audio)
-ˈdän
variants or less commonly pre-dawn
: existing or occurring before dawn
a predawn attack
the predawn hours
… the gigantic telescope started scanning the predawn sky.Howard Blum
predawn noun
or less commonly pre-dawn
plural predawns also pre-dawns
The most bone-chilling predawns create the sharpest sunrises. Christine Schultz
… stepping out into the quiet pre-dawn, closing the door. Bryan Burrough

Examples of predawn 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.
The Crime The first look at the killer came from grainy security footage — a person dressed in all black with a gray backpack, gun aimed squarely at Thompson’s back in the predawn light of Dec. 4. Lorena O'Neil, Rolling Stone, 9 Mar. 2025 In the predawn hours, up to 2,000 visitors gathered nearby to watch as Shaver and her team ferried the hatchlings to the wet sand at the water’s edge. Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Mar. 2025 This week’s episode opens with water washing over Victoria Ratliff’s feet while her kids sit a few yards away on a blue-tinged, predawn beach. Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 2 Mar. 2025 Their predawn chore concluded, Reacher wants to sleep. Chris Klimek, Vulture, 20 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for predawn

Word History

First Known Use

1883, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of predawn was in 1883

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Predawn.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/predawn. Accessed 18 Mar. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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