variants also prolog
Definition of prologuenext
1
as in prelude
a performance, activity, or event that precedes and sets the stage for the main event unfortunately, the burglary, which he committed while still a teen, was but a prologue to a wasted life of crime

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2

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 prologue Stopping along the side of a road for a call of nature doesn’t turn out so well for the dudes in the prologue. Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2026 The backstory Nay Palad’s prologue has so many twists and turns; a book has been written about it (look up Not For Sale by the resort’s Belgian-German founder and former professional football player Robert Dekeyser). Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 May 2026 An opening scene in a French hotel room serves as a prologue to the tour itself. Stephanie Bunbury, Deadline, 14 May 2026 Her rock-climbing skills also come in handy when she’s trapped in a narrow gorge, and soon after when a hairy ascent provides echoes of the prologue. David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 23 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for prologue
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prologue
Noun
  • In Germany itself, references to the Weimar Republic, the fragile democracy that preceded Hitler’s rise to power, are a staple of public debate as an unmistakable prelude-to-Hitler warning.
    Katja Hoyer, Washington Post, 9 June 2026
  • But all that was just a prelude to the eight-match CONCACAF Championship in 1989, the qualifying tournament for the next World Cup in Italy.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 June 2026
Noun
  • His introduction came at age 10, when RAGBRAI, which is an acronym for the Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa, passed through his hometown of Oelwein (a town with a population of fewer than 6,000), filling yards with tents and strangers.
    Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 June 2026
  • Kids will get the messages that Plensa espouses as quickly as adults, but this work is an easy, comprehensible introduction to how artists work, using surprising materials in inventive ways to make viewers consider the world differently.
    Ray Mark Rinaldi, Denver Post, 7 June 2026
Noun
  • Hernandez, now a Southern Section champion again, along with all the other winners will move onto the CIF preliminaries next Saturday to face the rest of the state's top female jumpers, with a chance to get back to the state finals.
    Ryan Gaydos OutKick, FOXNews.com, 19 May 2026
  • Tennyson never made it to the Southern Section track preliminaries after winning the league title.
    Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2026
Noun
  • In the preface of her new book, MJ Corey offers a note of apology for pouring so much energy into analyzing a family that’s famously famous for being famous, and for little else, said Megan Garber in The Atlantic.
    The Week US, TheWeek, 10 June 2026
  • The book arrives on the scene six years before Wordsworth’s preface to the Lyrical Ballads (considered the first Romantic manifesto).
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 June 2026
Noun
  • Featuring forewords by Beccari and K-pop star Felix, the coffee table tome will be available from June in all Louis Vuitton stores priced at $185, with sales also benefiting UNICEF.
    Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 26 May 2026
  • The book carried blurbs from prominent journalists, including Nicholas Thompson, The Atlantic’s chief executive, and a foreword by Maria Ressa, the Nobel Peace Prize–winning reporter from the Philippines.
    Tristan Bove, Fortune, 24 May 2026
Noun
  • That averages out to $5,000 in spending per month, which is a lower monthly average than what was required with the previous (and smaller) intro bonus.
    Jason Stauffer, CNBC, 12 June 2026
  • The almost-appearances include Demi Moore and Megan Thee Stallion in a The Substance-White Chicks double parody, Kevin Hart in the finale, and Cardi B in the explosive intro.
    Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 10 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Prologue.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prologue. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.

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