pre·lude
ˈprel-ˌyüd 
ˈprāl-;
ˈpre-ˌlüd,
ˈprā-;
sense 1 also
ˈprē-ˌlüd
1
: an introductory performance, action, or event preceding and preparing for the principal or a more important matter
2
a
: a musical section or movement introducing the theme or chief subject (as of a fugue or suite) or serving as an introduction to an opera or oratorio
b
: an opening voluntary
c
: a separate concert piece usually for piano or orchestra and based entirely on a short motif
preluded; preluding
: to give or serve as a prelude
especially
: to play a musical introduction
preluder
noun
Synonyms
Examples of prelude in a Sentence
Noun
an eruption of sectarian violence that proved to be the prelude to all-out civil war
the musical had a brief prelude to get the audience in the proper mood
Recent Examples on the Web
Jonathan Shorman, Kansas City Star, 3 Apr. 2024
All of this was prelude to the recent primary election, when Huntington Beach voters passed two controversial measures.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2024
Recommended Community Spring ‘breakup’: What’s behind the US beach town crackdown
Meanwhile, for law enforcement in Texas, the judicial back and forth has been a prelude to, essentially, a return to business as usual.
—Sarah Matusek, The Christian Science Monitor, 20 Mar. 2024
In that spirit: Let 8th be a prelude to 9th — and maybe beyond?
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 11 Mar. 2024
The bestial prelude to love comes in many (weird, wild, even mildly horrifying) forms.
—Cody Cottier, Discover Magazine, 13 Mar. 2024
What a chilling summary dismissal of Putin’s effort to whitewash the prelude to the Holocaust in Poland.
—Noah Rothman, National Review, 12 Feb. 2024
The awards ceremony will be held on April 14 at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre in Kowloon with the red carpet prelude again returning to the center’s Harbourfront Staircase.
—Patrick Frater, Variety, 8 Feb. 2024
The musical prelude begins at 2 p.m., featuring students from The Coburn School.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Jan. 2024
Grace Tucker, The Enquirer, 23 Feb. 2024
That, and the numerous MCU movies prior, was merely prelude to a monumental brawl against Thanos for all the marbles that may never be surpassed in sheer epicness.
—Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 20 Aug. 2013
At a first Chicago appearance in seven years, and prelude to a festival-closing slot at Riot Fest this September, The Cure also showed its cuddlier side.
—Bob Gendron, Chicago Tribune, 11 June 2023
Over the past decade, in my experience coaching thousands of female entrepreneurs and sales professionals to achieve their personal visions for success, there are three basic questions that always prelude a clarity session together to lay the foundation of the individual’s success story.
—Yec, Forbes, 28 Apr. 2021
In Rome, Christian leaders incorporated the tradition as a way to prelude Lent, the 40-day fasting period between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday.
—Victoria Moorwood, The Enquirer, 7 Feb. 2023
The launch will prelude a full opening sometime in January, ahead of Chinese New Year, according to the SFMTA.
—Ricardo Cano, San Francisco Chronicle, 20 Sep. 2022
The raucous musical spirit and activist bent of the MC5 was on the agenda at the cozy Detroit venue, as Kramer and his new bandmates kicked off the Heavy Lifting Tour, prelude to a fall album that will be first since 1971 to bear the MC5 name.
—Brian McCollum, Detroit Free Press, 6 May 2022
This poem seems positioned as a prolusion — his word — or prelude to set a mood of contemplation, to encourage a softness or stillness, a long view, for entering what follows.
—Nancy Lord, Anchorage Daily News, 30 Apr. 2022
Noun
The scorching letter is a potential prelude to a legal challenge of the search.
—Jonathan Shorman, Kansas City Star, 3 Apr. 2024
All of this was prelude to the recent primary election, when Huntington Beach voters passed two controversial measures.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2024
Recommended Community Spring ‘breakup’: What’s behind the US beach town crackdown
Meanwhile, for law enforcement in Texas, the judicial back and forth has been a prelude to, essentially, a return to business as usual.
—Sarah Matusek, The Christian Science Monitor, 20 Mar. 2024
In that spirit: Let 8th be a prelude to 9th — and maybe beyond?
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 11 Mar. 2024
The bestial prelude to love comes in many (weird, wild, even mildly horrifying) forms.
—Cody Cottier, Discover Magazine, 13 Mar. 2024
What a chilling summary dismissal of Putin’s effort to whitewash the prelude to the Holocaust in Poland.
—Noah Rothman, National Review, 12 Feb. 2024
The awards ceremony will be held on April 14 at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre in Kowloon with the red carpet prelude again returning to the center’s Harbourfront Staircase.
—Patrick Frater, Variety, 8 Feb. 2024
The musical prelude begins at 2 p.m., featuring students from The Coburn School.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Jan. 2024
Verb
In Rome, Christian leaders incorporated the tradition as a way to prelude Lent, when people would often fast between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday.
—Grace Tucker, The Enquirer, 23 Feb. 2024
That, and the numerous MCU movies prior, was merely prelude to a monumental brawl against Thanos for all the marbles that may never be surpassed in sheer epicness.
—Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 20 Aug. 2013
At a first Chicago appearance in seven years, and prelude to a festival-closing slot at Riot Fest this September, The Cure also showed its cuddlier side.
—Bob Gendron, Chicago Tribune, 11 June 2023
Over the past decade, in my experience coaching thousands of female entrepreneurs and sales professionals to achieve their personal visions for success, there are three basic questions that always prelude a clarity session together to lay the foundation of the individual’s success story.
—Yec, Forbes, 28 Apr. 2021
In Rome, Christian leaders incorporated the tradition as a way to prelude Lent, the 40-day fasting period between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday.
—Victoria Moorwood, The Enquirer, 7 Feb. 2023
The launch will prelude a full opening sometime in January, ahead of Chinese New Year, according to the SFMTA.
—Ricardo Cano, San Francisco Chronicle, 20 Sep. 2022
The raucous musical spirit and activist bent of the MC5 was on the agenda at the cozy Detroit venue, as Kramer and his new bandmates kicked off the Heavy Lifting Tour, prelude to a fall album that will be first since 1971 to bear the MC5 name.
—Brian McCollum, Detroit Free Press, 6 May 2022
This poem seems positioned as a prolusion — his word — or prelude to set a mood of contemplation, to encourage a softness or stillness, a long view, for entering what follows.
—Nancy Lord, Anchorage Daily News, 30 Apr. 2022
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'prelude.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near prelude
Cite this Entry
“Prelude.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prelude. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
prelude
1 of 2 noun
pre·lude
ˈprel-ˌ(y)üd
ˈprā-ˌl(y)üd
ˈprā-ˌl(y)üd
1
: something that comes before and prepares for the main or more important parts
the wind was a prelude to the storm
2
a
: a short musical introduction (as to an opera)
b
: a musical piece (as an organ solo) played at the beginning of a church service
prelude
2 of 2 verb
preluded; preluding
: to give, play, or serve as a prelude
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