pre-screen

Meanings

1. 1verbtransitive

   To check or examine someone or something before a later, more important stage.

   Grammar: Takes an object: pre-screen applicants. It can also be used in the passive: all bags are pre-screened.

   Patterns

   • pre-screen someone
   • pre-screen something
   • be pre-screened for something

   The company pre-screens all job applicants by phone.

   Airport staff pre-screen passengers before they reach security.

   All donations are pre-screened to make sure they are safe.

2. 2nouncountable

   An early check or test done before a main event or process.

   Grammar: Countable: a pre-screen, two pre-screens. Often used in hiring or medical contexts.

   Patterns

   • a pre-screen for something
   • do a pre-screen

   The pre-screen for the study took about ten minutes.

   Candidates must pass a pre-screen before the interview.

Word forms

Common combinations

pre-screen applicants

We pre-screen applicants to save time in interviews.

pre-screen passengers

Airlines pre-screen passengers for extra security.

pre-screen calls

She uses an app to pre-screen calls from unknown numbers.

pre-screen for something

The clinic pre-screens patients for common conditions.

Synonyms and how they differ

screen

Screen means to check someone or something; pre-screen emphasizes that the check happens before the main stage.

vet

Vet is informal and means to examine carefully; pre-screen is more formal and often used in official processes.

Word family

screen verb

To check or examine someone or something.

screening noun

A test or check, especially for health or security.

pre-screening noun

An early check done before a main event.

Commonly confused: pre-screen or pre-screen?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “pre-screen”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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