pregame

American  

[pree-geym] / ˈpriˌgeɪm /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or happening in the period just before a sports game.

   The coach was interviewed in a pregame broadcast.

2. noting or relating to the consumption of liquor before attending a party or other event.

   pregame drinking.

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noun

1. an event or broadcast relating to and occurring just before a sports game.

   Thirty people attended the pregame.

verb (used with or without object)

pregamed, pregaming

1. to drink liquor before going to (a party, game, or other event).

   We pregamed at my house to save some money.

Etymology

Origin of pregame

First recorded in 1910–15; pre- + game ¹

Example Sentences

He appeared in a pregame ceremony on the field while protesters gathered outside the stadium.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 7, 2026

“From the pregame bullpen, I felt pretty good.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 4, 2026

The 26-year-old shared pregame that he grew up rooting for classic Angels names such as Chone Figgins, Torii Hunter and Erick Aybar during the mid-to-late 2000s.

From Los Angeles Times • May 23, 2026

How many of us learned Friday night about the vaunted tradition of the coaches’ pregame handshake?

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 5, 2026

Her pregame instructions were spare: no cussing, and no tackling from behind.

From "Outcasts United: An American Town, a Refugee Team, and One Woman's Quest to Make a Difference" by Warren St. John