as in prelude
a performance, activity, or event that precedes and sets the stage for the main event
the parade down Main Street served as the overture for a weekend of fun and festivities
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Recent Examples of overture
Kim Yo-jong initially pursued fake peace overtures but is now more interested in directly escalating tensions with South Korea- to cultivate a cutthroat image to North Korean elite and the world.
—
Natasha Lindstaedt, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025
This is a major sci-fi franchise tentpole… that has an overture.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 20 Aug. 2025
Soundtracked by a heroic overture, the rest of the vignette shows Holland performing a high-wire stunt on top of a tank and checking out his performance on a monitor between shots.
—Jack Dunn, Variety, 10 Aug. 2025
His administration made overtures to the Kremlin, voicing support for key Russian demands of Ukraine.
—Charles Maynes, NPR, 6 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for overture
Natasha Lindstaedt, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025
This is a major sci-fi franchise tentpole… that has an overture.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 20 Aug. 2025
Soundtracked by a heroic overture, the rest of the vignette shows Holland performing a high-wire stunt on top of a tank and checking out his performance on a monitor between shots.
—Jack Dunn, Variety, 10 Aug. 2025
His administration made overtures to the Kremlin, voicing support for key Russian demands of Ukraine.
—Charles Maynes, NPR, 6 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for overture
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overture
prelude
Noun
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This is especially true when considering its journey through fickle and quick-witted Gemini, a prelude of what’s to come after its official debut on July 7 for the first time in 84 years.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
6 Sep. 2025
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That sweep of the Red Sox was just a prelude to six additional series for the Orioles over the season’s final six weeks that could alter the playoff picture in two different leagues.—
Dan Freedman,
Forbes.com,
28 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Overture.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overture. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
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