Synonyms of overture

overture

noun

ˈō-vər-ˌchu̇r 

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• prelude
• preliminary
• prologue
• curtain-raiser
• preamble
• warm-up
• lead-in
• countdown
• start
• kickoff
• run-up

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of overture

PayPal has been working with investment banks on takeover and activist defense for the last few months and had already shrugged off initial overtures from Stripe, Semafor reported earlier this year. — Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 15 July 2026

The musical’s overture gives you a sense of the complexity that’s needed to make seeming simple and straightforward material really soar. — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 6 July 2026

But the issue Americans should be concerned with here really isn’t FIFA, which has entertained other similar overtures before, but rather its own sporting reputation. — Ian Nicholas Quillen, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026

The tension is playing out in public as leaders including Marco Rubio fight back against extremism while others such as JD Vance make overtures to the fringe. — Bobby Zirkin, Baltimore Sun, 29 June 2026