as in preparatory
coming before the main part or item usually to introduce or prepare for what follows
preparative warning that the injection was going to cause a modest amount of pain
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Recent Examples of preparative
Just weeks after announcing a plan (or at least the preparative study of a plan) to reconstruct Park Avenue in its premodern, superior form, the city has just revealed a major makeover for Fifth.
—
Christopher Bonanos, Curbed, 17 Oct. 2024
One such approach involves utilizing advanced chromatography techniques like flash chromatography or preparative HPLC (High-Performance Liquid Chromatography).
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 12 Aug. 2023
Using photography as a preparative tool as well as an art form later in life reveals Degas to have been a more progressive artist that was willing to experiment.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 July 2019
Gordon explains that the body has quite a bit of pre-labor preparative work to do.
—Tanya Ward Goodman, Orange County Register, 5 June 2017
Christopher Bonanos, Curbed, 17 Oct. 2024
One such approach involves utilizing advanced chromatography techniques like flash chromatography or preparative HPLC (High-Performance Liquid Chromatography).
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 12 Aug. 2023
Using photography as a preparative tool as well as an art form later in life reveals Degas to have been a more progressive artist that was willing to experiment.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 July 2019
Gordon explains that the body has quite a bit of pre-labor preparative work to do.
—Tanya Ward Goodman, Orange County Register, 5 June 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preparative
Adjective
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Within Orthodox circles in Argentina, preparatory stages for conversion may take place in the country, but the beit din, or rabbinical court, that validates them operates in Israel.—
Juan Melamed,
Sun Sentinel,
21 Jan. 2026
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Countries have been working through many of those questions at preparatory meetings, with a final session scheduled for late March.—
Annika Hammerschlag,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Today brings preliminary matches for women’s ice hockey, qualification runs for men’s big-air snowboarding, and, of course, more curling, which is the only sport industrious enough to have events every day through the Olympics.—
The Editors,
Vulture,
5 Feb. 2026
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For instance, Irvine recently passed a preliminary e-bike law that strikes us as needlessly heavy handed.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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At the introductory news conference for Suárez 10 days ago, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow harped on the need to add a strong defensive infielder.—
Jen McCaffrey,
New York Times,
2 Feb. 2026
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Davis has often had some famous friends introduce him before his introductory speech kicks off the evening, but this year was particularly special as former president Barack Obama recorded a video to honor the executive.—
Ethan Millman,
HollywoodReporter,
1 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Preparative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preparative. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.
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