preen

These days, pastel and fluorescent birds groom, preen and bicker in enclosures behind the home.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 4, 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

His middle school pals call him “Wang Wang,” one of a few silly monikers among his longtime friend group, who preen and posture beyond their years.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 25, 2024

He reaches around to preen his wing as a group of preschoolers leans over the wharf railing, dropping rocks off the side.

From "Rules" by Cynthia Lord

Travis is the kind of guy who gets excited by having enemies: “You know you’re on your way up when they slap a target on your back,” he preens.

From Washington Post ● Mar. 3, 2022

He smiles and dances and points and preens, turning each field-goal attempt into a telenovela.

From New York Times ● Dec. 14, 2021

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

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

From "Challenger Deep" by Neal Shusterman

He preened, he hugged, he shook hands and hobnobbed with legends and politicians.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 9, 2024

Jeudy pranced and preened in a squabble with Smith, the former Panthers star receiver and current NFL Network analyst, prior to the Broncos’ 19-8 loss at Kansas City last week.

From Seattle Times ● Oct. 20, 2023

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

Boo preened himself, taking dramatic pauses to glare at them every now and then.

From "Aru Shah and the End of Time" by Roshani Chokshi

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

Reviewing the musical before it transferred to Broadway, our critic praised it as “an exuberant parade of song, dance, preening and posing that revitalizes Mr. Lloyd Webber’s enduring score with wit, invention and roof-rattling energy.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 2, 2026

As in most of the director’s movies, the characters behave like preening betta fish.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026

This is not revelation: The defense secretary is well known for preening for the cameras with a level of self-regard that would embarrass most supermodels.

From Salon ● Mar. 13, 2026

“I’m from Jupiter,” declared one man, preening himself.

From "The Martian Chronicles" by Ray Bradbury