preset

American  

[pree-set, pree-set] / priˈsɛt, ˈpriˌsɛt /

verb (used with object)

preset, presetting

1. to set beforehand.

2. to set (an electric or electronic appliance) to become activated at a designated time.

   We preset the coffeemaker to go on at 6 a.m.

3. to adjust (a connector, switch, or the like) so that when activated it will perform a designated function.

   The tuning buttons on the radio are preset to my favorite FM stations.

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adjective

1. set in advance.

   a preset radio adjusted to receive certain stations.

2. (of the guidance system of a missile or the course of flight it determines) set before launching to reach a specific destination without any alteration in response to signals from the ground.

noun

1. a knob or button that activates a preset appliance.

   Just push the preset and coffee will be ready when you get up.

2. a similar device on a radio that can be activated to tune in a preselected station.

preset British  

/ prɪˈsɛt /

verb

1. to set (a timing device) so that something begins to operate at the time specified

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noun

1. electronics a control, such as a variable resistor, that is not as accessible as the main controls and is used to set initial conditions

Other Word Forms

• presettable adjective

Etymology

Origin of preset

First recorded in 1930–35; pre- + set

Example Sentences

It simply chooses the most plausible word to follow the previous one, based on preset parameters and the vast quantities of information it has been trained on.

From Slate • Mar. 28, 2026

Rather than relying on preset rules, the robot learned through observation.

From Science Daily • Jan. 16, 2026

"We strongly refute the accusations," TikTok said in a statement sent to AFP, adding it offers "more than 50 features and preset settings designed specifically to support the safety and well-being of teenagers".

From Barron's • Nov. 4, 2025

He said: "Monetary policy is not on a preset course".

From BBC • Aug. 22, 2025

If this is true, it would mean that the human mind is preset, in some primary sense, to generate more than just the parts of speech.

From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas