1
as in prologue
a performance, activity, or event that precedes and sets the stage for the main event
an eruption of sectarian violence that proved to be the prelude to all-out civil war
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2
as in introduction
a short section (as of a book) that leads to or explains the main part
the musical had a brief prelude to get the audience in the proper mood
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of prelude
The new name could be a prelude to larger changes, either with the physical Apple TV device, or for Apple TV+.
—
Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 13 Oct. 2025
The Venezuelan regime has condemned the deployment as an act of coercion and a potential prelude to intervention.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 30 Sep. 2025
What wasn’t revealed at the time, however, was how this was a prelude to the Netflix special early next year.
—Michael Schneider, Variety, 30 Sep. 2025
The glamour and history of Gucci was embedded in the prelude of what’s to come.
—Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 29 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prelude
Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 13 Oct. 2025
The Venezuelan regime has condemned the deployment as an act of coercion and a potential prelude to intervention.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 30 Sep. 2025
What wasn’t revealed at the time, however, was how this was a prelude to the Netflix special early next year.
—Michael Schneider, Variety, 30 Sep. 2025
The glamour and history of Gucci was embedded in the prelude of what’s to come.
—Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 29 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prelude
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prelude
Noun
-
Indiscriminate weapons The past is prologue for space, suggests Bruce McClintock, lead of the RAND Space Enterprise Initiative and a senior policy researcher for the organization, and a professor at the RAND School of Public Policy.—
Leonard David,
Space.com,
20 Oct. 2025
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If past is prologue, the longer a shutdown drags on, the more pain Americans will start to feel.—
Zachary Schermele,
USA Today,
8 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The Geneva Watch Days saw the introduction of the TH-Carbonspring, a patented proprietary carbon hairsprings innovation a decade in the making by the Tag Heuer Lab in-house research and development hub.—
Lily Templeton,
Footwear News,
28 Oct. 2025
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Tarantino will write introductions for each of the books and they will be released in 2026 and 2027, respectively.—
Andrew McGowan,
Variety,
28 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Santana finished a weak fourth in the preliminary.—
Joe Battenfeld,
Boston Herald,
21 Oct. 2025
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In 1988: Greg Louganis won the gold medal in the 3-meter springboard at the Seoul Olympics one day after hitting his head on the diving board during the preliminaries.—
Arizona Republic,
AZCentral.com,
19 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Or at least that is what Thorkelín said in the preface to his edition, when it was finally published in 1815 (along with a Latin translation).—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Oct. 2025
-
And to preface, these are optional.—
Bon Appétit,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
9 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The company didn’t name Paramount or any others that have made M&A overtures.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
24 Oct. 2025
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But Aytaç was absorbed in the management of conversation, Abdi was silent, and no overture came from either.—
David Wingrave,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
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An article published by the wrestling news outlet Slam Wrestling in the days after Rocky's death claimed that Rocky's co-author never spoke with Dwayne about the book and that his audio interviews with Rocky featured the late wrestler giving him permission to write a foreword as Dwayne.—
Tommy McArdle,
PEOPLE,
23 Sep. 2025
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There’s even a foreword by the legendary food author Mollie Katzen, who wrote 1977’s Moosewood Cookbook — a staple in every vegetarian household — which really seals the deal.—
Angie Martoccio,
Rolling Stone,
20 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Prelude.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prelude. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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