pregames

Drinks before going

Pregames is the verb form of pregame—to drink alcohol before going to a bar, party, or event: We pregamed at my apartment before the concert.

The practice saves money on expensive venue drinks and ensures arriving with a buzz.

As a noun, pregames can refer to multiple instances of such gatherings or to pre-event broadcasts in sports coverage.

drinking

tailgate

Rear vehicle hatch

shotsSmall poured drinks
beer pongTable ball-tossing drinking game
flip cupRelay drinking game

party · buzz · alcohol · keg · cooler · BYOB · mixers · house party · bar hopping · liquor

esports

lobby

Entryway or influence-seeking

queueOrdered waiting line
practice modeConsequence-free learning environment
loadoutSelected equipment configuration

settings · team chat · strategy · scrimmage · draft · roster · stream setup · discord · countdown

sports

warmup

Pre-activity preparation

stretchingExtending muscles or material
drillsRepetitive training routines
practiceRepeated work toward mastery

locker room · preparation · routine · visualization · team huddle · anthem · introductions · lineup · starting · walkthrough

Categories

socializingmingle, mingles, mingling, party, parties

Opposites

temporal sequence relative to main event

pregamesafterparties

Social gatherings following celebrations

postgames · main event · after-parties · nightcaps · wrap-up

event centrality

pregamesmain event

Featured performance or contest

the show · headliner · main attraction · primetime · the real thing

formality and setting (drinking context)

pregamesbuying rounds

Alternating group drink purchases

bottle service · bar hopping

Phrases

pregame showPre-match broadcast programming
pregame drinks

Family

pregame, pregamed, pregaming

Familiarity: Top 500,000
Profile: Timeless · Positive · Everyday, not technical · Rated PG