preliminaries

plural of preliminary
as in preludes
a performance, activity, or event that precedes and sets the stage for the main event a meeting to discuss seating arrangements that was merely a preliminary to the formal negotiating sessions

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for preliminaries
Noun
  • Each song will be a chance to focus on an expansive breath, an engaged core and an open throat, through warm-ups and guidance.
    Jake Richardson, Mercury News, 1 Sep. 2025
  • Kelce, who played football for the Bearcats, spent plenty of time on the field during warm-ups in a red-and-white striped sweater before retreating to a suite for the game.
    Dave Skretta, Chicago Tribune, 29 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Needless to say, progressive Democrats did not respond to those companies’ overtures by abandoning Trader Joe’s and prosecco to guzzle Buds at Wally World.
    Graham Hillard, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Morrissey allegedly failed to respond to Marr’s overtures, so Marr trademarked the band’s name himself.
    Bethy Squires, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2025
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.

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Preliminaries.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preliminaries. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on preliminaries

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!