preen
1 Americanverb (used with object)
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preens,
present (3rd person singular)
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preened,
past participle, past
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preening
present participle
-
(of animals, especially birds) to trim or dress (feathers, fur, etc.) with the beak or tongue.
The peacock preened itself on the lawn.
-
to dress (oneself ) carefully or smartly; primp.
The king preened himself in his elaborate ceremonial robes.
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to pride (oneself ) on an achievement, personal quality, etc..
He preened himself on having graduated with honors.
verb (used without object)
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preens,
present (3rd person singular)
-
preened,
past participle, past
-
preening
present participle
-
to make oneself appear striking or smart in dress or appearance.
No amount of careful preening will compensate for poor posture.
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to be exultant or proud.
noun
verb
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(of birds) to maintain (feathers) in a healthy condition by arrangement, cleaning, and other contact with the bill
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to dress or array (oneself) carefully; primp
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(usually foll by on) to pride or congratulate (oneself)
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
preensimple
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preenssimple
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have preenedperfect
-
has preenedperfect
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am preeningprogressive
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are preeningprogressive
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is preeningprogressive
-
have been preeningperfect progressive
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has been preeningperfect progressive
Past
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preenedsimple
-
had preenedperfect
-
was preeningprogressive
-
were preeningprogressive
-
had been preeningperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of preen1
1480–90; late Middle English prene, variant of Middle English prunen, proynen ( see prune 3), perhaps by association with prenen, to stab, pierce (v. use, now dial., of prene preen 2 ), from the pricking action of a bird's beak in preening
Origin of preen2
before 1000; Middle English prene, Old English prēon a pin; cognate with Old Norse prjōnn pin; akin to Dutch priem, German Pfreim awl
Explanation
When a bird or a cat preens, it smooths its feathers or cleans its fur. When you preen, you primp and pay careful attention to how you're dressed and groomed, as if you're inviting the whole world to watch you. You can also preen just by puffing yourself up and congratulating yourself for something. You've just landed your triple flip on the ski jump, and, as you swoosh to a stop at the foot of the hill and take off your skis, you preen as you make your way through the adoring crowd.
Vocabulary lists containing preen
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
These days, pastel and fluorescent birds groom, preen and bicker in enclosures behind the home.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 4, 2026
Maybe it’s happiest tucked into a cast-iron skillet, going golden and jammy while the showier types preen in their baskets.
From Salon ● Aug. 12, 2025
It might be a bank holiday in the UK, but for the designers, publicists and PAs, it'll be an extraordinarily busy day as they preen and prepare their stars to walk the grand staircase.
From BBC ● May 4, 2025
Foster wasn’t the only coach who could preen.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 4, 2024
He reaches around to preen his wing as a group of preschoolers leans over the wharf railing, dropping rocks off the side.
From "Rules" by Cynthia Lord
The title character of “Carlos” broods and preens over his determination to be a revolutionary outlaw hero.
From New York Times ● Jun. 18, 2020
Robotnik preens, seethes, and contorts his face to spit out condescending sarcasm with all the psychology of a Saturday morning cartoon baddie.
From Slate ● Feb. 14, 2020
A background performer in a hat draped with ivy sways to disco music while another in gold chain flaps preens in his fringed jacket.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 2, 2019
A given culture typically preens itself into believing that its foodways, family structure and political system are the truly logical ones.
From Washington Post ● Aug. 1, 2019
He preens on the railing, raising his beak majestically, fluffing his feathers.
From "Challenger Deep" by Neal Shusterman
So if you happen to raise an orphan like we did with Alfie, that desire to be preened is very relatable.
From Salon ● Oct. 1, 2023
Sporting a flipped bouffant hairstyle and a floral wiggle dress that harked back to the 1967 film “Valley of the Dolls,” she’s not just immaculately preened for her inaugural L.A.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2023
Hagler’s Marvelous nickname was bestowed by a Lowell, Mass., journalist when he fought there as an amateur and preened in the ring, emulating Muhammad Ali.
From New York Times ● Mar. 13, 2021
Another activist, Joy Villa, preened in the background in a floor-length red gown emblazoned with the word “freedom.”
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 11, 2019
On the far side of the pond, peacocks strutted and preened.
From "Fablehaven" by Brandon Mull
Reviewing the musical before it transferred to Broadway, our critic praised it as “an exuberant parade of song, dance, preening and posing that revitalizes Mr. Lloyd Webber’s enduring score with wit, invention and roof-rattling energy.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 2, 2026
As in most of the director’s movies, the characters behave like preening betta fish.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
And there’s the leering, preening Rupert Mannion from “Ted Lasso” — multimillionaire soccer team owner, inveterate philanderer and incurably vindictive divorcé.
From Salon ● Jun. 12, 2026
The ducks are sitting or preening at the water, or about to take flight.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 1, 2026
“Indeed we have,” said Hallgrimsson, and if Coram had had to describe his expression, he would have said that the scholar was preening himself just a little.
From "The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage" by Philip Pullman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
