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

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

Hey, that’s one way to pregame for Super Bowl Sunday. —Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 9 Feb. 2024

Part 2: Pregame shenanigans Where to pregame for the Reds' Opening Day game The party doesn't stop after the Opening Day parade. —Grace Tucker, The Enquirer, 26 Mar. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1906, in the meaning defined above

Verb

2004, in the meaning defined above