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
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of prelude
The book, published in November 2017, was a No. 1 New York Times bestseller and evolved into the big-draw American Promise tour, a prelude in the eyes of many to Biden’s successful 2020 run for the White House.
—
Dominic Patten, Deadline, 3 Feb. 2025
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said on the same day that Ukraine would have to concede Crimea, an area of Ukraine that was seized by Russia in 2014 in a prelude to the current conflict, and its aspirations to NATO membership in order to reach a peace agreement.
—James Powel, USA TODAY, 18 Feb. 2025
The new ongoing series will launch with a 10-page prelude by Slott and Albuquerque in DC All In 2025 FCBD Special Edition No. 1 on May 3 as part of DC’s Free Comic Book Day programming.
—Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Jan. 2025
The Philadelphia Eagles are locked into the NFC’s No. 2 seed, and their coach, Nick Sirianni, spent the final days of 2024 deciding whether Barkley would sit out an inconsequential playoff prelude.
—Brooks Kubena, The Athletic, 9 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prelude
Dominic Patten, Deadline, 3 Feb. 2025
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said on the same day that Ukraine would have to concede Crimea, an area of Ukraine that was seized by Russia in 2014 in a prelude to the current conflict, and its aspirations to NATO membership in order to reach a peace agreement.
—James Powel, USA TODAY, 18 Feb. 2025
The new ongoing series will launch with a 10-page prelude by Slott and Albuquerque in DC All In 2025 FCBD Special Edition No. 1 on May 3 as part of DC’s Free Comic Book Day programming.
—Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Jan. 2025
The Philadelphia Eagles are locked into the NFC’s No. 2 seed, and their coach, Nick Sirianni, spent the final days of 2024 deciding whether Barkley would sit out an inconsequential playoff prelude.
—Brooks Kubena, The Athletic, 9 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prelude
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prelude
Noun
-
If the past is prologue, real wages rose over $6,000 during Trump's first term while falling some $2,000 under Biden's.—
Faisal Kutty,
Newsweek,
11 Mar. 2025
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If past is prologue, some clues about how Trump might approach this routine task of the presidency may be found in Trump's State of the Union address from 2020.—
Tamara Keith,
NPR,
2 Mar. 2025
Noun
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From their introduction in the 1800s to their peak in the mid-20th century, these majestic vessels embodied innovation, luxury, and national pride.—
David Nikel,
Forbes,
16 Mar. 2025
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Thankfully, the film dials up its energy (only briefly) with the introduction of Paz (a truly captivating Arta Gee), the non-binary manager of the couple’s vacation rental.—
Tomris Laffly,
Variety,
14 Mar. 2025
Noun
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During the preliminaries on Feb. 28, the Red Devils broke the national record in the 200 medley relay, as Bey teamed with sophomore Luke Vatev, senior Henry Guo and junior Matthew Vatev to time 1 minute, 26.75 seconds.—
Matt Le Cren,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Mar. 2025
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And just by being around his Team Canada teammates, Crosby is doing what Iginla and others did for him back in 2010, when Canada lost to the U.S. in the preliminaries and beat it in the gold medal game.—
Arpon Basu,
The Athletic,
17 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
The preface begins at 6 p.m., followed by the ceremony at 7:30.—
Mary Ann Grossmann,
Twin Cities,
27 Jan. 2025
-
Inception Startups Program at Nvidia Israel, in his preface to the SNC report.—
Gil Press,
Forbes,
22 Dec. 2024
Noun
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What To Know Officials from Sudan have already rejected U.S. overtures regarding Palestinian resettlement.—
Mark Davis,
Newsweek,
14 Mar. 2025
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Alijah Arenas, destined for greatness in the basketball world, enrolled at Chatsworth High as a freshman, turning down overtures from top private schools seeking to generate exposure for luring the son of a former NBA player with a high ceiling and immediate star quality.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Walker Percy, who helped get the book published after the author killed himself, wrote the foreword.—
The New Yorker,
The New Yorker,
26 Feb. 2025
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There’s star power in the book — Gwyneth Paltrow penned the foreword.—
Kate Bradshaw,
The Mercury News,
24 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Prelude.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prelude. Accessed 21 Mar. 2025.
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