prerelease

American

[pree-ri-lees] / ˌpri rɪˈlis /

noun

something released beforehand, as a movie shown before its scheduled premiere.

adjective

of or relating to a period prior to an official release.

prerelease photos of a new car; convicts housed in a prerelease center.

Etymology

Origin of prerelease

First recorded in 1925–30; pre- + release

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:

prerelease

Out of the prerelease singles, the Yahritza-featuring “La Línea” has received the most buzz due to its topicality.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 11, 2026

Colleagues say Ayaz stays invested in films that are faring poorly in prerelease polling, hoping to make them at least less of a flop.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 24, 2025

“I’m not here for long/Catch me or I go Houdini,” she demands in “Houdini,” one of the album’s prerelease singles, creating an open-voweled, singable shorthand for making her escape.

From New York Times ● May 3, 2024

I’m called to the case manager’s office to sign my prerelease paperwork.

From Slate ● Dec. 14, 2023

Alexandria’s jail continues to provide prerelease notifications to ICE, according to Sandoval-Moshenberg.

From Washington Post ● Dec. 22, 2022

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023