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
Yannick Nézét-Séguin let the prelude speak with minimal fuss, then unspooled the rest of the score with total control, pulling the thread taut, relaxing it, and increasing the tension again, until by the end the orchestra bloomed into rapture.
—
Justin Davidson, Vulture, 11 Mar. 2026
The jet set’s arrival in 1966 made Marrakesh synonymous with hashish-haze chic, yet the glossy-magazine pictures of Yves Saint Laurent in his garden and Talitha Getty on her rooftop were barely a prelude to the barrage of social media posts to come.
—Kevin West, Travel + Leisure, 10 Mar. 2026
This was the prelude to Kelce’s 13th NFL season.
—Jesse Newell, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2026
The gathering was a prelude to both the private service for Jackson's family and another commemoration.
—ABC News, 7 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for prelude
Justin Davidson, Vulture, 11 Mar. 2026
The jet set’s arrival in 1966 made Marrakesh synonymous with hashish-haze chic, yet the glossy-magazine pictures of Yves Saint Laurent in his garden and Talitha Getty on her rooftop were barely a prelude to the barrage of social media posts to come.
—Kevin West, Travel + Leisure, 10 Mar. 2026
This was the prelude to Kelce’s 13th NFL season.
—Jesse Newell, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2026
The gathering was a prelude to both the private service for Jackson's family and another commemoration.
—ABC News, 7 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for prelude
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prelude
Noun
-
In a social media post, Aiello said the Jack and Oddfellow house was a prologue to the overall event.—
Dewayne Bevil,
The Orlando Sentinel,
23 Mar. 2026
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So, partly by not calling it a prologue and not putting it in italics.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
William Shatner is a man who needs no introduction as one of the most beloved and distinguished movie stars Hollywood has ever created.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
22 Mar. 2026
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This camp is a great introduction to the sport for those interested in learning the basics of water safety, kayaking, outrigger paddling and stand-up paddling.—
Jessie Dax-Setkus,
Oc Register,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The hockey playoffs weren’t affected by the storm and are expected to start on March 2 with Division II preliminaries.—
Jacob Rousseau,
The Providence Journal,
26 Feb. 2026
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Switzerland crushed Germany in the men’s curling preliminaries, keeping a consistent lead before ending the game with a score of 8-4.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
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And that long preface to editing isn’t helping, Bill Pullman notwithstanding.—
Glenn Whipp,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Mar. 2026
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In his preface of the American Legion’s Junior Baseball for 1938 program, Chaillaux noted that 500,000 boys participated in Legion ball.—
Bill Swank,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Shortly before launching his solo career in 1972, Thompson politely declined Don Henley and Glenn Frey’s overtures to join what soon became the Eagles.—
George Varga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Mar. 2026
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The White House insisted that peace talks with Iran are ongoing, even as Tehran publicly rejected US overtures and issued fresh conditions of its own to end the conflict that’s wreaked havoc across the Middle East and global markets.—
Mario Parker,
Bloomberg,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
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My Jamaican Table, his first book (Springsteen wrote the foreword), is a mouth-watering mix of traditional classic dishes like oxtail with rice and peas, and curry chicken alongside modern spins on American classics, like his signature jerk smashburger with bacon jam.—
Jonathan Bernstein,
Rolling Stone,
16 Mar. 2026
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This May, the 50th anniversary edition of the book—revamped with a new foreword by culinary historian and journalist Toni Tipton-Martin—will be released.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
6 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Prelude.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prelude. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
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