preowned

American  

[pree-ohnd] / priˈoʊnd /

Or pre-owned

adjective

1. previously owned; used; secondhand.

   a sale of preowned furs.

---

preowned British  

/ ˌpriːˈəʊnd /

adjective

1. euphemistic already used; second-hand

---

Usage

What does preowned mean? Preowned refers to something that has been previously owned by someone else or has already had at least one previous owner. Preowned is sometimes spelled pre-owned. Preowned is a euphemism, which is a milder way to say something to make it less harsh or blunt. Preowned is typically used to describe something for sale to avoid calling it used or secondhand. A nicer way to say something was owned previously is to call it preloved. Example: I couldn’t afford a new car so I bought a preowned one.

Etymology

Origin of preowned

First recorded in 1960–65; pre- + own + -ed ²

Example Sentences

Last year, 360 preowned superyachts of at least 30 meters—nearly 100 feet—sold for $6.4 billion, up 36% from 2024, notes Fraser Yachts in its 2026 Global Superyacht Report.

From Barron's • Apr. 11, 2026

An insight from the program is that consumers will pay 28% more on average for a preowned watch that has been certified genuine by Rolex than one that hasn’t, according to Morgan Stanley.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 26, 2025

Monday, Ford Motor and Amazon announced External link that car buyers can shop for certified preowned Ford vehicles on Amazon Autos.

From Barron's • Nov. 17, 2025

Yet I fell in love with the analog format of photography when I picked up a preowned camera on eBay that was made in 1970s Japan.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 11, 2025

That’s what everybody said as they flashed warm smiles and showed us their preowned clothing, Christmas decorations, jewelry, and whatnots.

From "March Forward, Girl" by Melba Pattillo Beals