pretreat
verb
pre·treat
ˌprē-ˈtrēt 
variants
or pre-treat
pretreated or pre-treated; pretreating or pre-treating
: to treat previously : to subject to pretreatment
pretreat the stain before washing
pretreated the roads with sand/salt before the snowstorm
pretreating wastewater
… he now pretreats patients with medicines to counter possible reactions.—
Elisabeth Rosenthal
Elisabeth RosenthalExamples of pretreat in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Pretreat Stains Before washing, pretreat any stains using a stain formula specifically suited for your robe’s fabric.
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 6 Aug. 2024
After applying the bluing to pretreat the stain, launder the item as usual.
—Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 July 2024
After removing all the gum using one of our strategies below, pretreat the area with stain remover spray or a hefty dab of dish or laundry soap before laundering.
—Ann Wilson, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Oct. 2023
If your comforter becomes soiled, pretreat the stain right away.
—Maria V. Charbonneaux, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 June 2023
Benton County Road Department crews will pretreat roads with salt brine when the rain stops ahead of what may happen Wednesday and Thursday, said Jay Frasier, county administrator of public services.
—Mike Jones, Arkansas Online, 22 Feb. 2022
For best results, it is recommended to pretreat any stained areas by pouring a small amount of detergent directly onto them.
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 22 Apr. 2023
Jay Frasier, public services administrator, said crews started to pretreat roads with a salt brine mixture Tuesday.
—Tracy Neal, Arkansas Online, 23 Feb. 2022
Pretreat: Next, pretreat the area with an oil- and grease-fighting stain remover, following the manufacturer’s instructions.
—Brigitt Earley, Good Housekeeping, 7 Apr. 2023
Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 6 Aug. 2024
After applying the bluing to pretreat the stain, launder the item as usual.
—Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 July 2024
After removing all the gum using one of our strategies below, pretreat the area with stain remover spray or a hefty dab of dish or laundry soap before laundering.
—Ann Wilson, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Oct. 2023
If your comforter becomes soiled, pretreat the stain right away.
—Maria V. Charbonneaux, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 June 2023
Benton County Road Department crews will pretreat roads with salt brine when the rain stops ahead of what may happen Wednesday and Thursday, said Jay Frasier, county administrator of public services.
—Mike Jones, Arkansas Online, 22 Feb. 2022
For best results, it is recommended to pretreat any stained areas by pouring a small amount of detergent directly onto them.
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 22 Apr. 2023
Jay Frasier, public services administrator, said crews started to pretreat roads with a salt brine mixture Tuesday.
—Tracy Neal, Arkansas Online, 23 Feb. 2022
Pretreat: Next, pretreat the area with an oil- and grease-fighting stain remover, following the manufacturer’s instructions.
—Brigitt Earley, Good Housekeeping, 7 Apr. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pretreat.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near pretreat
Cite this Entry
“Pretreat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pretreat. Accessed 19 Aug. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
pretreat
transitive verb
pre·treat
-ˈtrēt
: to subject to pretreatment
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