variants also prolog
1
as in prelude
a performance, activity, or event that precedes and sets the stage for the main event unfortunately, the burglary, which he committed while still a teen, was but a prologue to a wasted life of crime

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of prologue Gregg previously appeared alongside Phoenix in Explorers (1985), then memorably chased Phoenix down in the opening prologue of Last Crusade. Sezin Devi Koehler September 1, EW.com, 1 Sep. 2025 Nemes and regular co-writer Clara Royer start with a prologue four years after the war when young Jewish boy Andor (played at that age by Tibor Martin Lobbert) is retrieved by his mother Klára (Andrea Waskovics) from the orphanage where he was placed as an infant. David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 28 Aug. 2025 An Errant Postcard That Changed Everything Robins’ 35-minute film, the prologue for his project, has won awards at a dozen-plus film festivals, including the Beyond Hollywood International Film Festival, the London Movie Awards and IndieX Film Fest. R. Daniel Foster, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025 During the podcast episode, Swift also said there’s a poem in the liner notes, which will hopefully mirror the thoughtful prologue the songwriter always includes for her albums. Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 14 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for prologue
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prologue
Noun
  • The Venezuelan regime has condemned the deployment as an act of coercion and a potential prelude to intervention.
    Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 30 Sep. 2025
  • What wasn’t revealed at the time, however, was how this was a prelude to the Netflix special early next year.
    Michael Schneider, Variety, 30 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • What helped make desktop inkjets practical was the introduction of the very same cartridges that made ink so expensive.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 30 Sep. 2025
  • It was also spurred by the introduction of the antipsychotic drug chlorpromazine in the 1950s; the 1963 Community Mental Health Act to fund a system of local mental health care centers; changes in Medicaid; and landmark court decisions and federal civil rights laws.
    Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Galvin’s spokesperson said the issue was not related with the city’s administration of the preliminary.
    Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald, 9 Sep. 2025
  • The sheriff's office preliminary determined that the body belonged to the missing teenager.
    Jenna Sundel, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • As the videos went on, fans in the comments were quick to point out that Raegan had gone from mentioning her breakup in every intro, to barely mentioning it at all.
    Tabitha Parent, PEOPLE, 30 Sep. 2025
  • Another standout feature of the Active Cash® Card is its intro APR offer for purchases and balance transfers, which the Rakuten American Express Card is sorely lacking.
    Holly Johnson, CNBC, 28 Sep. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Prologue.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prologue. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on prologue

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!