: a work (such as a novel or a play) whose story precedes that of an earlier work
… the real payoff will be for the next Star Wars, an expected prequel to the previous three movies.—
Laurence Hooper
Laurence HooperExamples of prequel in a Sentence
His next film will be a prequel to last year's hit movie.
Recent Examples on the Web
Caroline Kepnes' prequel to You is finally here!
—Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 9 Jan. 2026
Haymitch, portrayed as a middle-age adult in earlier films by Woody Harrelson, will be portrayed in this prequel by newcomer Joseph Zada.
—Dan Heching, CNN Money, 5 Jan. 2026
The Magician’s Nephew (November 26) Greta Gerwig’s enchanting prequel to The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe will tell the origin story of this magical world, with Emma Mackey as the White Witch, Daniel Craig as the titular magician, Carey Mulligan as his sister, and Meryl Streep voicing Aslan.
—Radhika Seth, Vogue, 1 Jan. 2026
The Predator monster has terrified audiences for more than 35 years, but in the story's prequel and fifth installment, the tables turn and the monster becomes the prey.
—Ilana Gordon, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prequel
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 9 Jan. 2026
Haymitch, portrayed as a middle-age adult in earlier films by Woody Harrelson, will be portrayed in this prequel by newcomer Joseph Zada.
—Dan Heching, CNN Money, 5 Jan. 2026
The Magician’s Nephew (November 26) Greta Gerwig’s enchanting prequel to The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe will tell the origin story of this magical world, with Emma Mackey as the White Witch, Daniel Craig as the titular magician, Carey Mulligan as his sister, and Meryl Streep voicing Aslan.
—Radhika Seth, Vogue, 1 Jan. 2026
The Predator monster has terrified audiences for more than 35 years, but in the story's prequel and fifth installment, the tables turn and the monster becomes the prey.
—Ilana Gordon, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prequel
Cite this Entry
“Prequel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prequel. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
