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Synonyms

sneak preview

American  

noun

  1. a preview of a motion picture, often shown in addition to an announced film, in order to observe the reaction of the audience.

sneak preview British  

noun

  1. a screening of a film at an unexpected time to test audience reaction before its release

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
sneak preview Idioms  

  1. An advance showing of something, as in It was supposed to be bad luck but she gave the bridegroom a sneak preview of her wedding gown. This expression originated in the 1930s for a single public showing of a motion picture before its general release, and in succeeding decades was transferred to other undertakings.

Etymology

Origin of sneak preview

First recorded in 1935–40

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.

When the Mongolian company behind the merch released a sneak preview weeks ago, Vogue raved about the clothing and shoppers from all over the world preordered sweaters, scarves and ski caps.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 6, 2026

Get a sneak preview of the top stories from the weekend's Barron's magazine.

From Barron's • Oct. 10, 2025

I've had a sneak preview of the new series, which starts on Wednesday, and can tell you that the contestants are thrown in at the deep end from the start.

From BBC • Apr. 27, 2025

Wembanyama got a sneak preview of the newest technology at a rehearsal on Thursday for the tech summit.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 16, 2024

In a statement, Rodrigo said fans “around the world can get a sneak preview of what’s to come on tour” with the surprise show.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 11, 2023

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.