as in prelude
a performance, activity, or event that precedes and sets the stage for the main event
the couple's initial exchange of insults proved to be only a warm-up for their booze-fueled fight later that night
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of warm (up)
Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 3 Mar. 2026
Taking advantage of any hint of a mid-winter warm-up, Vernal Witchhazel will pop out massive flower crops — a single mature plant providing enough fragrance to fill several residential yards.
—Paul Cappiello, Louisville Courier Journal, 27 Feb. 2026
The tariffs case must therefore be understood as a warm-up act in the fight to preserve the core of American democracy, rather than the main event.
—David Pozen, The Atlantic, 26 Feb. 2026
The new facility offers several upgrades for Georgia’s men’s and women’s track and field and cross country teams, including an indoor five-lane, 100-meter warm-up track.
—Sarah Spencer, AJC.com, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for warm (up)
Noun
The National Weather Service expects temperatures in Central Park to fall just short of 50 degrees Wednesday, then dip to 45 degrees Thursday before a weekend warm-up begins.
—Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 3 Mar. 2026
Taking advantage of any hint of a mid-winter warm-up, Vernal Witchhazel will pop out massive flower crops — a single mature plant providing enough fragrance to fill several residential yards.
—Paul Cappiello, Louisville Courier Journal, 27 Feb. 2026
The tariffs case must therefore be understood as a warm-up act in the fight to preserve the core of American democracy, rather than the main event.
—David Pozen, The Atlantic, 26 Feb. 2026
The new facility offers several upgrades for Georgia’s men’s and women’s track and field and cross country teams, including an indoor five-lane, 100-meter warm-up track.
—Sarah Spencer, AJC.com, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for warm (up)
Recent Examples of Synonyms for warm (up)
Verb
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The county has still provided no clear answers about why west Altadena didn’t receive prompt evacuation alerts, or saw minimal firefighters, during the Eaton fire, according to relatives of the victims.—
Rebecca Ellis,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Mar. 2026
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Zelenskyy noted that providing interceptors was not enough to help fight drone attacks.—
SYLVIE CORBET,
Arkansas Online,
14 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Yannick Nézét-Séguin let the prelude speak with minimal fuss, then unspooled the rest of the score with total control, pulling the thread taut, relaxing it, and increasing the tension again, until by the end the orchestra bloomed into rapture.—
Justin Davidson,
Vulture,
11 Mar. 2026
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The jet set’s arrival in 1966 made Marrakesh synonymous with hashish-haze chic, yet the glossy-magazine pictures of Yves Saint Laurent in his garden and Talitha Getty on her rooftop were barely a prelude to the barrage of social media posts to come.—
Kevin West,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Marzan was assigned to the 103rd Sustainment Command in Des Moines — a unit tasked with supplying troops with food, fuel, ammunition and equipment — and deployed to Kuwait to support the war effort.—
Hannah Fry,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
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Bailey Nurseries, founded in 1905, is a family-run business that supplies plants nationally and is known for its Endless Summer Hydrangeas, First Editions Plants and Easy Elegance Roses.—
Talia McWright,
Twin Cities,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The hockey playoffs weren’t affected by the storm and are expected to start on March 2 with Division II preliminaries.—
Jacob Rousseau,
The Providence Journal,
26 Feb. 2026
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Switzerland crushed Germany in the men’s curling preliminaries, keeping a consistent lead before ending the game with a score of 8-4.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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There’s plenty of profit to be made off the infectious enthusiasm for the game and the frills that the flush player can furnish their setup with, but while the new crop of mahj-centric entrepreneurs are gaining, is anyone losing?—
Kase Wickman,
Vanity Fair,
10 Mar. 2026
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The Rousseaus furnished the property with their own artwork, antiques, heirloom porcelain, and glassware.—
Elizabeth Cantrell,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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All rooms are equipped with strong fans and the bedrooms have air-conditioning.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
10 Mar. 2026
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Like every Greenline, the new 42 can be equipped with either a diesel propulsion system comprising twin 250hp Yanmar engines or a proprietary hybrid setup with 23kW electric motors between the diesel engine and the propeller.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Any attempt to arm Iranian Kurdish groups would need support from the Iraqi Kurds to let the weapons transit and use Iraqi Kurdistan as a launching ground.—
Lauren Kent,
CNN Money,
5 Mar. 2026
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Seen at Loewe, Tory Burch, and Saint Laurent, shield sunglasses are meant to arm you from the (still elusive) sun’s rays with an impossible aura of cool.—
Talia Abbas,
Vogue,
28 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Normally restrictive about releasing information on Iranian hits and damage, Israeli authorities in recent days have sought to educate the public about their dangers, which can persist as unexploded bombs on the ground even after civilians leave shelters.—
Melanie Lidman,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Mar. 2026
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Saint Joseph School closing The kindergarten through eighth grade Catholic school on High Street in Medford has been serving its mission to educate the faithful since 1929.—
Paul Burton,
CBS News,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Warm (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/warm%20%28up%29. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.
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