preseason

noun

pre·​sea·​son ˌprē-ˈsē-zᵊn 

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

According to the citation, Garrett was driving his gray 2014 Ferrari 100 mph in a 60 mph zone southbound on Interstate 71 after returning to Cleveland following the team’s preseason opener at the Carolina Panthers. —Sarah Jean Maher, New York Times, 12 Aug. 2025

Top Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers skipped last Saturday’s preseason opener at Buffalo. —Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 12 Aug. 2025

Mattison, who played for Boise State from 2016 to 2018, landed on his head after being tackled in the fourth quarter of the Miami Dolphins’ preseason opener against the Chicago Bears on Sunday. —Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 12 Aug. 2025

In his place, John Stephens Jr. has begun to earn more reps in camp, though he was scratched from the preseason opener in favor of Schoonmaker. —Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1914, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for preseason

• milesian
• partizan
• postseason
• unreason
• reason
• season
• seizin
• treason