pregame

1 of 2

adjective

pre·game ˈprē-ˌgām

: existing or occurring before a game

a pregame party

the athlete's usual pregame meal/warm-up

The Bulls had finished their pregame shooting and were returning for the regular pregame meeting to go over the scouting report …—

Sam Smith

pregame

2 of 2

verb

pre·game ˌprē-ˈgām

pregamed; pregaming

intransitive verb

US, informal

: to begin drinking alcohol before an event or activity (such as a party or a night out)

Her friends, all in their 20s and pregaming for a Saturday night out in the bars, nodded enthusiastically.—

Dan Kois

On the same principle, pregaming with a few shots before you arrive is a risky maneuver. You should be relatively sober when you present your host gift and size up the situation.—

Pete Wells

pregaming noun

Pregaming … is the practice of consuming alcohol before going to a social event. —

Georgina Lawton

… students reported higher rates of pregaming and alcohol-related blackouts than national averages. —

Tess Sohngen

Examples of pregame in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Adjective

Breslin Center held a pregame moment of silence in Zachary’s memory, during which both Cassius and Izzo were visibly emotional. —

Chase Michaelson, Detroit Free Press, 11 Nov. 2019 Arizona State football: 4 game tickets in the Athletic Director’s suite with pregame sideline passes and parking pass. —

Jeff Metcalfe, azcentral, 1 May 2020

Verb

Dimly lit and often packed to the brim with industry professionals, enthusiasts, and groups pregaming dinner at nearby Wildair or Cervo’s, the Ten Bells can feel like a daunting place to ask about that Georgian skin contact wine listed on one of the chalkboards on the wall. —

Oset Babür-Winter, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Sep. 2024 Conley filled those shoes admirably pregame – and afterward. —

Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for pregame