Definition of preamblenext
1
as in prelude
a performance, activity, or event that precedes and sets the stage for the main event the round of hors d'oeuvres was merely the preamble to an evening of lavish feasting

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2
as in introduction
a short section (as of a book) that leads to or explains the main part an insightful analysis of the preamble to the Constitution of the United States

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 preamble This year, however, the marketing language seemed dialed up to 11, with a lot of preamble throughout the 75-minute keynote. — Tyler Hayes, PC Magazine, 9 June 2026 This essay opens with a preamble that directly addresses your audience. — Literary Hub, 9 June 2026 The Illinois budget and good policies are the catalyst to achieving the goals in the preamble. — Willie Wilson, Chicago Tribune, 4 June 2026 The preamble to the code recognizes that visual journalists are trustees of the public by providing independent, diverse views of events and issues and exposing wrongdoing. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 5 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for preamble
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preamble
Noun
  • That counterinsurgency campaign was a prelude to the state terror unleashed under the 1976-1983 military dictatorship, in which human rights groups estimate that around 30,000 people were killed or disappeared.
    — Nicole Winfield, Los Angeles Times, 10 Nov. 2026
  • Saturday Night Live host, actor and comedian Druski starred in a sketch that imagined a prelude to You Can See Everything, the metadocumentary about Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes.
    — William Vaillancourt, Rolling Stone, 8 Nov. 2026
Noun
  • Watkins got the crowd going in pregame introductions and then with a buzzer-beating pull-up jumper from 15 feet to end the first quarter with USC leading 36-11.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 9 Nov. 2026
  • With the introduction of this year’s College Football Playoff committee rankings last week, the weekly Associated Press college football poll has now taken somewhat of a backseat.
    — Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 8 Nov. 2026
Noun
  • This year’s Miss World competition recently made headlines during the preliminaries when Ugandan delegate Elle Muhoza made a powerful fashion statement.
    — Tabitha Parent, PEOPLE, 5 Sep. 2026
  • But all of that was just the preliminaries for Grady Emerson.
    — John Romano, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 July 2026
Noun
  • The book, published by Phaidon, features a preface by Andrea Gaudenzi, chairman of the ATP, a foreword by former player Rod Laver and text by tennis writer Mark Hodgkinson.
    — Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Li offers hints of how Field and Adelaide’s destiny came to pass, with a preface and short flash-forward scenes that striate the narrative.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • When Franklyn first announced the book in February, her agent received a phone call from Matt Kaplan, Cooper’s husband and business partner, allegedly screaming on the other end, as Franklyn recounts in the book’s foreword.
    — Anna Tingley, Variety, 10 Nov. 2026
  • The book, published by Phaidon, features a preface by Andrea Gaudenzi, chairman of the ATP, a foreword by former player Rod Laver and text by tennis writer Mark Hodgkinson.
    — Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Preamble.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preamble. Accessed 12 Nov. 2026.

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