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

Watching Ginika preen in front of the mirror, Ifemelu wondered whether she, too, would come to share Ginikas taste for shapeless dresses, whether this was what America did to you.

From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

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

Davis preens as Mr. Calpito keeps his own legs suspended an inch off the ground for an excruciating amount of time and tells you that you should be doing the same.

From New York Times ● May 26, 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

It swims and preens and eats, sure, but it will never migrate over the Korean Peninsula, or use its amazing plumage to flag down a mate as it would in the wild.

From Slate ● Feb. 11, 2019

“Methinks she preens her feathers just for me,” Guildenstern boasted.

From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein

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

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

Hagler’s Marvelous nickname was bestowed by a Lowell, Mass., journalist when he fought there as an amateur and preened in the ring, emulating Muhammad Ali.

From New York Times ● Mar. 13, 2021

He moved onto her shoulder, and she preened his feathers.

From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston

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

Mr. Turturro brings a savory humor and pathos to the scene, while Mr. Giamatti’s preening lecturing has a contrasting comic officiousness.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2026

And there’s the leering, preening Rupert Mannion from “Ted Lasso” — multimillionaire soccer team owner, inveterate philanderer and incurably vindictive divorcé.

From Salon ● Jun. 12, 2026

The ducks are sitting or preening at the water, or about to take flight.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 1, 2026

But when I reach that house, a tidy little bungalow with a cat preening in the window, nobody answers the door.

From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse