foreplay

noun

fore·​play ˈfȯr-ˌplā How to pronounce foreplay (audio)
1
: erotic stimulation preceding sexual intercourse
2
: action or behavior that precedes an event

Examples of foreplay in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Beginners can start with the feather during foreplay, then work their way up to suction then clamps. Malia Griggs, Glamour, 24 Feb. 2025 To enlist the help of a professional—more specifically, an escort who’s more than willing to show her everything, from foreplay to more-than-missionary bedroom positions. Jenna Ryu, SELF, 1 May 2025 Love, Theoretically Love, Theoretically $17 $11 Amazon This Ali Hazelwood bestseller is ideal for anyone turned on by a little academic rivalry and intellectual foreplay. Jenna Ryu, SELF, 1 May 2025 All of that, though, is just warmup—maybe foreplay? Helen Rosner, The New Yorker, 16 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for foreplay

Word History

First Known Use

1929, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of foreplay was in 1929

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Cite this Entry

“Foreplay.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foreplay. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.

Medical Definition

foreplay

noun
fore·​play -ˌplā How to pronounce foreplay (audio)
: erotic stimulation preceding sexual intercourse

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