preamble

noun

pre·am·ble | \ ˈprē-ˌam-bəl

, prē-ˈam- \

Definition of preamble

1 : an introductory statement especially : the introductory part of a constitution or statute that usually states the reasons for and intent of the law

2 : an introductory fact or circumstance especially : one indicating what is to follow

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Examples of preamble in a Sentence

The preamble to the U.S. Constitution begins by saying “We the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, …”. His early travels were just a preamble to his later adventures.

Recent Examples on the Web All of that snooze-worthy stuff is just a preamble for one of the episode's main events: Monica boldly passing through the Hex barrier in a trippy, dazzling, and empowering sequence. — Chancellor Agard, EW.com, "Wandavision recap: Good for her," 19 Feb. 2021 Ghani’s office rebutted the claim, saying the two sides agreed on ground rules but continued to debate wording in the preamble. — Susannah George, Washington Post, "Afghan peace talks show first signs of progress after months of deadlock," 2 Dec. 2020 In city after city, Indians gathered to chant the preamble to the country’s Constitution. — New York Times, "India’s Leading Documentary Filmmaker Has a Warning," 1 Dec. 2020 That was only a preamble for his performance in the 23-16 victory over the Seahawks. — Gary Klein Staff Writer, Los Angeles Times, "Darious Williams turns corner in long trip to become Rams standout," 20 Nov. 2020 That's why the preamble of the Constitution says in order to form a more perfect union. — CBS News, "Former CIA Director John Brennan on ethics of intelligence, challenges to democracy," 7 Oct. 2020 The preamble to Trump’s executive order warns that DEI trainings promote divisiveness and distract from the pursuit of excellence. — Joelle Emerson, Fortune, "Why is President Trump trying to kill off diversity training programs?," 30 Oct. 2020 That was all something of preamble to the core point of the hearing, which was whether Rogers would extend or amend her current temporary restraining orders in the case into an injunction that will last at least through the rest of the trial. — Kyle Orland, Ars Technica, "Apple v. Epic hearing previews a long, hard-fought trial to come," 28 Sep. 2020 The preamble to Game 5 provided the Stars reason to think their second-round series against Colorado would end on Monday night. — Matthew Defranks, Dallas News, "Stars unable to overcome ‘atrocious’ start in Game 5 loss vs. Avalanche," 31 Aug. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'preamble.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

26 Feb 2021

Cite this Entry

“Preamble.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/preamble. Accessed 3 Mar. 2021.

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More Definitions for preamble

preamble

noun

English Language Learners Definition of preamble

somewhat formal

: a statement that is made at the beginning of something (such as a legal document) and usually gives the reasons for the parts that follow

: something that comes before and leads to something else

See the full definition for preamble in the English Language Learners Dictionary

preamble

noun

pre·am·ble | \ ˈprē-ˌam-bəl

Kids Definition of preamble

: an introduction (as to a law) that often gives the reasons for what follows

preamble

noun

pre·am·ble | \ ˈprē-ˌam-bəl, prē-ˈam-

Legal Definition of preamble

: an introductory statement (as to a contract) especially : the introductory part of a constitution or statute that usually states the reasons for and intent of the law

Note: While preambles do not state law and therefore are not judicially enforceable, they are used to determine legislative intent when interpreting statutes.