as in preliminary
coming before the main part or item usually to introduce or prepare for what follows
a preparatory investigation to see if there is enough evidence to warrant bringing charges
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Recent Examples of preparatory
These preparatory movements then become habits that are carried out in a weaker form even when the action is suppressed.
—
Big Think, 23 Sep. 2025
Ursuline Academy advertises itself as an all-girls Catholic college preparatory high school founded in 1896.
—Matthew Cupelli, Cincinnati Enquirer, 20 Sep. 2025
There is no timeline for the AI’s ascension to the role, although Okumura said a preparatory committee is in the works.
—Chris Lau, CNN Money, 19 Sep. 2025
After both teams participated in preparatory tournaments last weekend, the curtain is about to rise -- and fans can hardly wait.
—Julio Cesar Valdera Morales, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for preparatory
Big Think, 23 Sep. 2025
Ursuline Academy advertises itself as an all-girls Catholic college preparatory high school founded in 1896.
—Matthew Cupelli, Cincinnati Enquirer, 20 Sep. 2025
There is no timeline for the AI’s ascension to the role, although Okumura said a preparatory committee is in the works.
—Chris Lau, CNN Money, 19 Sep. 2025
After both teams participated in preparatory tournaments last weekend, the curtain is about to rise -- and fans can hardly wait.
—Julio Cesar Valdera Morales, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for preparatory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preparatory
Adjective
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Ultimately, the appeals court affirmed the district court’s grant of a preliminary injunction to Hecox, but vacated the injunction applied to the rest of the state.—
Becca Savransky,
Idaho Statesman,
10 Jan. 2026
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He’s scheduled to have a preliminary hearing on Monday.—
Jon Haworth,
ABC News,
10 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Episodes are bound together by banal introductory voiceover, in which our narrator recites ominous clichés that, like everything in His & Hers, border on parody.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Jan. 2026
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So, with the support of the school for developing an introductory class on archaeology, Harris-Thacker developed one.—
Helen I. Bennett,
Hartford Courant,
5 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Preparatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preparatory. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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