preview

1 of 2

verb

pre·​view ˈprē-ˌvyü How to pronounce preview (audio)
previewed; previewing; previews

transitive verb

1
: to see beforehand
specifically : to view or to show in advance of public presentation
2
: to give a preliminary survey of
previewer noun

preview

2 of 2

noun

1
: an advance statement, sample, or survey
2
: an advance showing or performance (as of a motion picture or play)
3
or less commonly prevue : a selected group of scenes shown to advertise a movie, television show, etc.

called also trailer

Examples of preview in a Sentence

Verb The designers will preview their new lines at the fashion show. They previewed the upcoming football season. You can preview the page before you print it. Noun We saw the movie at a special preview. Before the movie starts they always show previews of coming attractions. There are previews of the next week's episode at the end of each show. They gave a preview of the upcoming football season. The magazine includes a preview of the newest fall fashions.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
More recently, the couple stepped into some of the most iconic movie costumes of all time to parody various films while previewing their 2024 Oscars post-show. Bailey Richards, Peoplemag, 11 Mar. 2024 Guests had the privilege of privately previewing (it isn’t expected to be released until March 19). Jamila Stewart, Vogue, 9 Mar. 2024 The company plans to preview a new 400-square-foot one-bedroom model at TinyFest. Nicole Sours Larson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Mar. 2024 The officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to preview the announcement, said the operation will not require that American troops be on the ground to build the pier that is intended to allow more shipments of food, medicine and other essential items. CBS News, 7 Mar. 2024 Now that the Swifties have officially infiltrated the NFL, what better place for Taylor Swift to preview Reputation (Taylor's Version) than on a documentary series about the New England Patriots? Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 7 Mar. 2024 Intel announced new automotive-target SoCs at CES earlier this year, while AMD previewed a new solution that combines its processor and FPGA technologies. Steve McDowell, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2024 Legislative priorities:Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs previews legislative priorities for 2024 What Democratic lawmakers say Democratic lawmakers put it on GOP leaders, who control what does and does not get a vote, for preventing Hobbs' bills from moving forward. Stacey Barchenger, The Arizona Republic, 27 Feb. 2024 Trending on Billboard The post also included an IG Live snippet of Usher and Dupri previewing the uptempo breakup track in 2019, which Dupri also shared on his Facebook page. Heran Mamo, Billboard, 22 Feb. 2024
Noun
The play debuted at the Phoenix Theatre on the West End on Nov. 17, 2023 in previews, with an official opening date of Dec. 14, 2023. William Earl, Variety, 8 Mar. 2024 The previews have enticed players to download the app. Mike Isaac, New York Times, 7 Mar. 2024 The trailer previews both parts, featuring archival footage and TV appearances. Tatiana Tenreyro, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Mar. 2024 Right thereafter, the preview cuts to and argument between Louie and Teresa. Dave Quinn, Peoplemag, 6 Mar. 2024 The coverage included a hole-by-hole video preview that matched drone footage and included commentary by Staff Writer Sam Farmer. Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2024 The time-traveling collaboration previews Victor Manuelle’s upcoming album Retromántico, a project that pays homage to classic salsa of the 1990s. Pamela Bustios, Billboard, 5 Mar. 2024 But in subsequent previews the audience was just as hostile to the play, even without a meddlesome medical emergency. Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2024 The rib-centric restaurant will serve barbecue ribs four ways: original, spicy, sweet and hot-honey For more on the Star-Telegram’s preview of Ribbee’s, visit here. Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'preview.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

1607, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1881, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of preview was in 1607

Dictionary Entries Near preview

Cite this Entry

“Preview.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/preview. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

preview

1 of 2 verb
pre·​view ˈprē-ˌvyü How to pronounce preview (audio)
: to view or show in advance

preview

2 of 2 noun
1
: a showing of something (as a movie) before regular showings
2
also prevue : a showing of bits from a movie that is to be shown in the near future
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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