preen

One could preen virtuously after trundling to a local boutique instead of ordering from a faraway online behemoth.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 23, 2026

He doesn’t peacock, he doesn’t preen; he is visibly angry with himself when he doesn’t produce.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026

Maybe it’s happiest tucked into a cast-iron skillet, going golden and jammy while the showier types preen in their baskets.

From Salon ● Aug. 12, 2025

It might be a bank holiday in the UK, but for the designers, publicists and PAs, it'll be an extraordinarily busy day as they preen and prepare their stars to walk the grand staircase.

From BBC ● May 4, 2025

She tried to hop to her stump and preen.

From "My Side of the Mountain" by Jean Craighead George

Brianne purrs and preens even as she expresses skepticism, and whines and demurs when she might bare real claws.

From New York Times ● Mar. 3, 2023

Robotnik preens, seethes, and contorts his face to spit out condescending sarcasm with all the psychology of a Saturday morning cartoon baddie.

From Slate ● Feb. 14, 2020

A background performer in a hat draped with ivy sways to disco music while another in gold chain flaps preens in his fringed jacket.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 2, 2019

The economist preens; the Shakespearean knows that “all scholarly endeavor was eventually . . . tucked . . . into endless paper beds, installed within tombstone covers and seldom disturbed.”

From The New Yorker ● Aug. 9, 2018

He preens on the railing, raising his beak majestically, fluffing his feathers.

From "Challenger Deep" by Neal Shusterman

So if you happen to raise an orphan like we did with Alfie, that desire to be preened is very relatable.

From Salon ● Oct. 1, 2023

During a 21-point loss in March to the Clippers that clinched the Clippers’ sweep of their four-game season series, Clippers guard Reggie Jackson danced and preened and crowed.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 5, 2022

Some guests — who preened in eye-popping colors, aggressive patterns, velvet slippers and stiletto heels — were art-struck.

From New York Times ● Mar. 11, 2022

The performances viewers see are not mimed to a studio recording that was made in advance and preened to perfection with editing.

From BBC ● Sep. 8, 2021

Standing in the middle of a concrete slab, scared for their lives, they preened.

From "Jazz" by Toni Morrison

The contrast between the quiet, humble Messi and the preening, ostentatious Ronaldo has defined soccer in recent times and certainly fueled its growth and popularity in the U.S. and parts of Asia.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 15, 2026

At 41 years old, Ronaldo represents a living, breathing, preening conundrum for his national team.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 23, 2026

First they came for the preening, powdered popinjays of television news, but I did not speak out because I am not a popinjay.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 8, 2026

In a moment with Colin Farrell as his preening son, Duvall is shocked and disappointed by how things are being handled.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 17, 2026

She constantly touches her hair and adjusts her makeup like a swan preening in the sunshine.

From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller