pregame
/ˈpriːɡeɪm/
Very CommonDrinking at home or a friend's place before going out to a bar, club, or event.
Can be a noun (the pregame) or a verb (to pregame). Also used for non-drinking situations like warming up or preparing for any event.
Real-world examples4 examples
| # | Example | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | pregame at mine at 9, we'll head out around 11 | An invitation to gather at the speaker's place to drink before going out at 11. | instagram, 2023 |
| 02 | the pregame was better than the actual party | The informal gathering before the event was more fun than the event itself. | x, 2024 |
| 03 | got crossfaded at the pregame and didn't even make it out lol | The person drank and smoked too much before leaving and ended up staying. | reddit, 2022 |
| 04 | why pay $15 a drink when you can pregame and just get water at the bar | Drinking beforehand makes expensive bar prices much easier to manage. | tiktok, 2023 |
Use it when
- Drinking before heading to a bar, party, or concert.
- Meeting up with friends at someone's place before a night out.
- Getting ready and having drinks before any social event.
- Non-drinking preparation before any main event (sports, gaming).
Do not use it when
- You are at the main event itself.
Pregame vs afterparty
pregame
Pregame happens before the main event, usually at someone's home.
VS
afterparty
Afterparty happens after the main event, also usually at someone's home.
Origin and context
Adapted from sports terminology where pregame refers to warmup activity before a game. Applied to drinking culture in American college environments, likely in the 1990s or earlier.
- First seen
- 1990s
- Confidence
- medium
Cite this page
Use this stable URL to reference the entry.
https://slang.fyi/pregameUpdated: 2026-08-28License: CC BY 4.0