as in earlier
so as to precede something in order of time
the sick children were examined preliminarily by the nurse to determine if they had a rash
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Recent Examples of preliminarily
Researchers from the National Institute of Standards and Technology preliminarily concluded that the pool deck started to collapse more than seven minutes before the building fell to the ground, according to the presentation released ahead of the hearing Tuesday.
—
Jared Kofsky, ABC News, 9 Sep. 2025
In the coming weeks, if the settlement is preliminarily approved, authors will be able to search this website to confirm if their works were part of the class action and are therefore eligible for a payout.
—Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 5 Sep. 2025
Two of the dead are preliminarily believed to be among those who opened fire in the crowded Taste of the City Lounge on Franklin Ave.
—Rebecca White, New York Daily News, 17 Aug. 2025
So, the estimates for each month from April 2023 through March 2024 (the latest complete sequence) went through three estimates in the monthly cycle, and were then benchmark-revised twice more – preliminarily in August 2024, and finalized in February 2025.
—George Calhoun, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2025
The Middlesex County Medical Examiner’s Office preliminarily determined his death to be a suicide.
—Minyvonne Burke, NBC news, 6 Aug. 2025
Jared Kofsky, ABC News, 9 Sep. 2025
In the coming weeks, if the settlement is preliminarily approved, authors will be able to search this website to confirm if their works were part of the class action and are therefore eligible for a payout.
—Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 5 Sep. 2025
Two of the dead are preliminarily believed to be among those who opened fire in the crowded Taste of the City Lounge on Franklin Ave.
—Rebecca White, New York Daily News, 17 Aug. 2025
So, the estimates for each month from April 2023 through March 2024 (the latest complete sequence) went through three estimates in the monthly cycle, and were then benchmark-revised twice more – preliminarily in August 2024, and finalized in February 2025.
—George Calhoun, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2025
The Middlesex County Medical Examiner’s Office preliminarily determined his death to be a suicide.
—Minyvonne Burke, NBC news, 6 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preliminarily
Adverb
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Carbon credit monetization – Forward-looking companies are already earning credits by capturing and storing emissions, feeding into voluntary and compliance carbon markets.—
Peter Bendor-Samuel,
Forbes.com,
12 Sep. 2025
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Artificial intelligence is no longer on the horizon—it is already embedded in healthcare systems.—
Nia Bowers,
USA Today,
12 Sep. 2025
Adverb
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Just as a developer is trying to move ahead with plans to raze the historic Excelsior Club in west Charlotte, then rebuild a near replica, a local museum CEO is trying to make the case for saving the structure.—
Catherine Muccigrosso,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Sep. 2025
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An Emerson College Polling survey conducted last week found Wu ahead by 50 points, 72 percent to 22 percent.—
Jared Gans,
The Hill,
10 Sep. 2025
Adverb
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The actress had previously teamed up with the company for a suggestive body wash commercial.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
13 Sep. 2025
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Polish officials previously said that there were 19 intrusions of the country’s airspace, and that a large proportion of the drones entered from Belarus.—
Mitchell McCluskey,
CNN Money,
12 Sep. 2025
Adverb
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This, however, was quite a different context from when Bianca Censori stepped out in a see-through dress at the Grammys earlier this year with her husband Ye, formerly known as Kanye West.—
Charles Trepany,
USA Today,
13 Sep. 2025
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Lopes has good technical striking skills, at least early in his fights, and excellent grappling.—
Trent Reinsmith,
Forbes.com,
12 Sep. 2025
Adverb
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Why Healthcare Needs a Data Overhaul Healthcare systems are generating more data than ever before, from electronic health records and lab results to imaging scans, insurance claims, and even patient updates from wearable devices.—
Matthew Kayser,
USA Today,
12 Sep. 2025
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Spider Woman has been adapted to the screen before, but not as a musical.—
Maureen Lee Lenker,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Preliminarily.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preliminarily. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
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