as in preparatory
coming before the main part or item usually to introduce or prepare for what follows
in prefatory remarks he offered his own definition of "civilization", a word subject to a variety of interpretations
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Recent Examples of prefatory
Despite some discouraging downward trends, all the prefatory jawing could go a long way toward siphoning off a fair number of viewers who might otherwise be locked in on the NFL.
—
Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 25 Sep. 2025
The prefatory pause gives the audience a chance to applaud a starry ensemble.
—Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 13 Dec. 2024
Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 25 Sep. 2025
The prefatory pause gives the audience a chance to applaud a starry ensemble.
—Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 13 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prefatory
Adjective
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Those preparatory projects included the installation of new capping roofs to weatherproof the buildings for a long period of care and maintenance, as well as the rerouting of electrical supplies and de-planting of boiler equipment.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Oct. 2025
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These are showcased alongside engravers’ prints and unpublished documents, such as preparatory Polaroids and test prints annotated by Avedon.—
Lily Templeton,
Footwear News,
30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The introductory rate for a single-person membership is $249 per month, although the monthly dues will likely increase based on demand, Dewey, the general manager, said.—
Jennifer Van Grove,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Oct. 2025
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And in the comments of her introductory video, her team shoots down every plausible guess.—
Lisa Respers France,
CNN Money,
16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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His wife, Rebecca Haro, was charged with two crimes — murder and filing a false report — and is scheduled for a preliminary hearing the day Jake Haro will be sentenced.—
Madeline Morrison,
NBC news,
17 Oct. 2025
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The company has held preliminary discussions with a leading North American medical institution regarding a potential pilot project.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
17 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Prefatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prefatory. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.
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