1
as in prologue
a performance, activity, or event that precedes and sets the stage for the main event
an eruption of sectarian violence that proved to be the prelude to all-out civil war
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in introduction
a short section (as of a book) that leads to or explains the main part
the musical had a brief prelude to get the audience in the proper mood
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 prelude
Gavin Newsom is pursuing what appears to be an image-building prelude to a 2028 presidential campaign and much of that effort involves appearances on widely popular podcasts.
—
Dan Walters, Mercury News, 12 Aug. 2025
This event is a prelude to the museum’s month-long Hispanic Heritage celebration in September, which will feature a variety of community partners, programs and a visit of live alpacas.
—Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Aug. 2025
Without prelude, Eva Longoria suddenly popped up in the second episode of this spring’s fourth season of FX’s Welcome to Wrexham, cheering alongside Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenny (now Rob Mac) in the crowd at the Racecourse.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 5 Aug. 2025
Each will fly more than 4,000 miles to a United States military base in Anchorage, Alaska, for a summit Trump hopes will be a prelude to ending Russia's war on Ukraine.
—Francesca Chambers, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2016
See All Example Sentences for prelude
Dan Walters, Mercury News, 12 Aug. 2025
This event is a prelude to the museum’s month-long Hispanic Heritage celebration in September, which will feature a variety of community partners, programs and a visit of live alpacas.
—Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Aug. 2025
Without prelude, Eva Longoria suddenly popped up in the second episode of this spring’s fourth season of FX’s Welcome to Wrexham, cheering alongside Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenny (now Rob Mac) in the crowd at the Racecourse.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 5 Aug. 2025
Each will fly more than 4,000 miles to a United States military base in Anchorage, Alaska, for a summit Trump hopes will be a prelude to ending Russia's war on Ukraine.
—Francesca Chambers, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2016
See All Example Sentences for prelude
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prelude
Noun
-
Georgia will hope the past is prologue.—
Seth Emerson,
New York Times,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Continuing that cinematic styling, there was even an awesome Alan Wake II-style music drop at the end of the prologue chapter.—
Echo Apsey,
Space.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
From the Luddites smashing looms in 19th-century England to autoworkers walking out over the introduction of robots to the factory floor in the 1980s, resistance has flared before either being crushed or subsiding, giving way to the new economies and social orders the technologies ushered in.—
Hugh Cameron,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
-
In his introduction video, Becerra says his priority is to make housing more affordable and reduce health care costs.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Galvin’s spokesperson said the issue was not related with the city’s administration of the preliminary.—
Lance Reynolds,
Boston Herald,
9 Sep. 2025
-
The sheriff's office preliminary determined that the body belonged to the missing teenager.—
Jenna Sundel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
However, for co-founder Michiel Beers, who started the festival with his brother, Manu, in 2005, creating one of the largest music festivals was just the preface to his Tomorrowland story.—
Steve Baltin,
Forbes.com,
21 Aug. 2025
-
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
Noun
-
There’s the fact that Simone betrayed her by accepting Peter’s overtures, and therefore treated Michaela in the same dismissive way that Michaela once treated Peter’s first wife.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
10 Sep. 2025
-
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
Noun
-
Japanese actress Megumi Odaka, who’s appeared in six Godzilla films, crafted a deeply personal foreword.—
Michael Taube,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
-
The book features a foreword by Del Toro and an introduction by Isaac, who plays Victor Frankenstein.—
Borys Kit,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Prelude.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prelude. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share