1
as in prelude
a performance, activity, or event that precedes and sets the stage for the main event
the round of hors d'oeuvres was merely the preamble to an evening of lavish feasting
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2
as in introduction
a short section (as of a book) that leads to or explains the main part
an insightful analysis of the preamble to the Constitution of the United States
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of preamble
Unless needed for clarity, avoid long preambles.
—
Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2025
The story of the backchannel through Belarus, in other words, could become the preamble to Ukraine’s capitulation.
—Simon Shuster, Time, 8 Aug. 2025
Lewis, meanwhile, was finishing what would turn out to be his last essay for the Quarterly, the preamble for the issue on Energy, originally scheduled to appear in the summer of 2023.
—Literary Hub, 13 June 2025
The celebrity round was the preamble to the 45th Ryder Cup, kicking off Friday with Europe defending its crown from the 2023 tournament.
—Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for preamble
Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2025
The story of the backchannel through Belarus, in other words, could become the preamble to Ukraine’s capitulation.
—Simon Shuster, Time, 8 Aug. 2025
Lewis, meanwhile, was finishing what would turn out to be his last essay for the Quarterly, the preamble for the issue on Energy, originally scheduled to appear in the summer of 2023.
—Literary Hub, 13 June 2025
The celebrity round was the preamble to the 45th Ryder Cup, kicking off Friday with Europe defending its crown from the 2023 tournament.
—Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for preamble
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preamble
Noun
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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
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While preseason results aren't important, the performance of players is perhaps a prelude to the regular season.—
Valentina Martinez,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Hill previously competed in a battle royal back in May, but this upcoming appearance would serve as his formal introduction to the roster.—
Andrew Ravens,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Oct. 2025
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OpenAI’s Altman said Tuesday that web browsers had not seen significant innovation since the introduction of tabs, a feature that dates back to the early 2000s.—
Alexei Oreskovic,
Fortune,
21 Oct. 2025
Noun
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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
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Galvin’s spokesperson said the issue was not related with the city’s administration of the preliminary.—
Lance Reynolds,
Boston Herald,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
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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
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And to preface, these are optional.—
Bon Appétit,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
9 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
“Preamble.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preamble. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.
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