as in preparatory
coming before the main part or item usually to introduce or prepare for what follows
in prefatory remarks he offered his own definition of "civilization", a word subject to a variety of interpretations
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Recent Examples of prefatory
Despite some discouraging downward trends, all the prefatory jawing could go a long way toward siphoning off a fair number of viewers who might otherwise be locked in on the NFL.
—
Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 25 Sep. 2025
The prefatory pause gives the audience a chance to applaud a starry ensemble.
—Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 13 Dec. 2024
Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 25 Sep. 2025
The prefatory pause gives the audience a chance to applaud a starry ensemble.
—Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 13 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prefatory
Adjective
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These are showcased alongside engravers’ prints and unpublished documents, such as preparatory Polaroids and test prints annotated by Avedon.—
Lily Templeton,
Footwear News,
30 Sep. 2025
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There are now some preparatory tools that were not previously available.—
Alec Lewis,
New York Times,
30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Sign up today and use coupon code EARLYBIRD for an introductory discount of 30% off $97 (+taxes and fees) through July 15, 2025.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
1 Oct. 2025
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Louie, a 31-year-old former TV reporter, and Velovic, a 25-year-old who works in tech sales, both had strong introductory confessionals as the boats were coming to the marooning.—
Christopher Kuhagen,
jsonline.com,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The grand jury indictment supersedes the criminal complaint and allows the criminal case to skip the preliminary hearing phase and move toward a trial.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
3 Oct. 2025
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In Utah, preliminary hearings can be delayed for months in cases involving serious felonies, sometimes up to a year, according to Lazaro.—
Michael Ruiz,
FOXNews.com,
3 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Prefatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prefatory. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
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