preface

as in introduction
a short section (as of a book) that leads to or explains the main part a noted critic has written a short preface to her story to explain some of the historical background

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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 preface In his preface to a new edition published in 1983, de Groot responded to readers who’d travelled to the valley and complained to the publisher that the auberge and its cooking were shockingly unlike the book’s descriptions. John Birdsall, New Yorker, 25 July 2025 To preface, the woman wrote that her husband has waist-length hair. Rachel Flynn, People.com, 26 June 2025 Chomet has dabbled in live action as well, but only recently returned to animation, notably last year’s five-minute preface to Todd Phillips’ Joker: Folie à Deux. Pete Hammond, Deadline, 11 June 2025 While strong levels of consumer spending generally bode well for economic performance, several economists saw the March surge as the preface for a steep spring fall. Tobias Burns, The Hill, 30 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for preface
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preface
Noun
  • Hill previously competed in a battle royal back in May, but this upcoming appearance would serve as his formal introduction to the roster.
    Andrew Ravens‎, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
  • OpenAI’s Altman said Tuesday that web browsers had not seen significant innovation since the introduction of tabs, a feature that dates back to the early 2000s.
    Alexei Oreskovic, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • An article published by the wrestling news outlet Slam Wrestling in the days after Rocky's death claimed that Rocky's co-author never spoke with Dwayne about the book and that his audio interviews with Rocky featured the late wrestler giving him permission to write a foreword as Dwayne.
    Tommy McArdle, PEOPLE, 23 Sep. 2025
  • There’s even a foreword by the legendary food author Mollie Katzen, who wrote 1977’s Moosewood Cookbook — a staple in every vegetarian household — which really seals the deal.
    Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 20 Sep. 2025

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“Preface.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preface. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.

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