variants or less commonly première
plural premieres also premières
Synonyms of premiere
1
: a first performance or exhibition
the premiere of a play
the show's premiere episode
2
: the chief actress of a theatrical cast
variants or less commonly première or premier
premiered also premièred; premiering also premièring

intransitive verb

1
: to have a first public performance
The movie/play will premiere next week.
2
: to appear for the first time as a star performer
He premiered in the title role on Broadway.

transitive verb

: to give a first public performance of
The movie was premiered at the film festival.
: premier
In addition to the sporting events, Lillehammer also offers one of Norway's premiere cultural sites in the Maihaugen Open Air Museum …—William E. Schmidt

Examples of premiere in a Sentence

Noun The movie will have its premiere next week. Verb The movie premieres next week.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Back on Broadway 15 years after its premiere, plus another seven from when the bulk of its action is set, Jon Robin Baitz’s rich-family-with-secrets play is, in its current form, at best a trippy experience. — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 19 Oct. 2026 His debut fiction short, Kentucky Gaza makes its MENA premiere at the El Gouna, having premiered in the International Competition at Clermont-Ferrand in France. — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 18 Oct. 2026
Verb
Season 1 of the series premiered in Japan in 2021 on the cable and satellite outlet Mystery Channel (then AXN Mystery), and subsequently aired on public broadcaster NHK starting in 2022. — Ed Meza, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026 Indeed, this wasn’t the only episode that featured the messy, minimalist hairstyle; the look was favored across the six-season show, which premiered in 2007, and seen on a slew of characters. — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
Adjective
The premiere production reunites Ludwig with his longtime collaborator Emily Mann. — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 18 Oct. 2026 Projects backed by other festivals and funds can come with premiere commitments, so El Gouna has responded by investing through its own funding program and approaching filmmakers earlier. — Essie Assibu, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for premiere

Word History

Etymology

Noun

(sense 1) borrowed from French première, short for première représentation "first performance"; (sense 2) probably noun derivative of premiere entry 3

Verb

verb derivative of premiere entry 1

Adjective

alteration of premier entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

1889, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1927, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Adjective

1768, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of premiere was in 1768

Cite this Entry

“Premiere.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/premiere. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Kids Definition

: a first performance or showing
premiere of a play

premiere

2 of 2 adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on premiere

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