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)
CNN Money, 8 Apr. 2026
Javier went to the mound to warm up for the bottom of the second at Coors Field, threw a warm-up pitch and signaled to the Astros’ dugout for someone to visit the mound.
—Matt Kawahara, Houston Chronicle, 8 Apr. 2026
On the docs front, Netflix is continuing its pre-World Cup warm-up with another profile piece about a star player, this time the Argentina team’s iconic goalkeeper.
—Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 7 Apr. 2026
All have been personally worn by Curry during tunnel walks, warm-ups, and/or games.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 7 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for warm (up)
Noun
Destinations like Greater Fort Lauderdale, long a draw for those seeking a winter warm-up, illustrate how conflicted many once-frequent Florida visitors feel about visiting now — and what a decline in visits means for local businesses.
—CNN Money, 8 Apr. 2026
Javier went to the mound to warm up for the bottom of the second at Coors Field, threw a warm-up pitch and signaled to the Astros’ dugout for someone to visit the mound.
—Matt Kawahara, Houston Chronicle, 8 Apr. 2026
On the docs front, Netflix is continuing its pre-World Cup warm-up with another profile piece about a star player, this time the Argentina team’s iconic goalkeeper.
—Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 7 Apr. 2026
All have been personally worn by Curry during tunnel walks, warm-ups, and/or games.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 7 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for warm (up)
Recent Examples of Synonyms for warm (up)
Verb
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His elite pass protection and calm feet mean he can be trusted immediately to keep the quarterback clean on passing downs, while also providing a high-effort presence on special teams.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
25 Apr. 2026
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Betting/odds, ticketing and streaming links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic.—
Data Skrive,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Campari by Manero opened as a pop-up and serves as a prelude to the restaurant Manero, set to open in 2026.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
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After a few months in which it was heard only sporadically at local tournaments across Mexico, a homophobic chant has resurfaced strongly in recent weeks in what could be a prelude to what will happen at the 2026 World Cup.—
Carlos Rodriguez,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In July of 2024, as fighting raged in Khartoum, a Sudanese weapons broker WhatsApped Mafi to contract a shipment of Qods Mohajer-6 drones — the same ones Iran has long supplied Russia in its war in Ukraine, according to the complaint.—
Sonja Sharp,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Apr. 2026
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For decades, Indian Point operated 24/7 and supplied roughly 2,000 megawatts of carbon-free electricity around the clock — through heat waves, blizzards, and everything in between.—
Nicole Malliotakis,
New York Daily News,
19 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Tickets to the mixed archery preliminary set me back $110 each, then $85 each for the mixed equestrian preliminary.—
Personal Finance Columnist,
San Francisco Chronicle,
8 Apr. 2026
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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
Verb
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Knightsbridge has handled everything from furnishing the rental to securing a gym membership to sourcing wine for the family’s collection.—
Tori Latham,
Robb Report,
19 Apr. 2026
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The indoor-outdoor dining space is similar to the one in Dubai, also designed by Hugo Toro, and has a sprawling terrace furnished with fringed umbrellas, potted herbs, and a bar capped in gorgeous pistachio marble.—
Adam Erace,
Travel + Leisure,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The most practical innovation that Lightning brought to the race was joints equipped with a liquid-cooling system adapted from Honor’s smartphones.—
Steve Henson,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Apr. 2026
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Shift toward combat-ready autonomy Comet is equipped with an advanced autonomy system that supports navigation, remote control, and scalable command structures.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Intelligence and tax information may lead investigators at ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations arm to audit a business’s I-9 documents and ultimately raid a job site.—
Anna Giaritelli,
The Washington Examiner,
24 Apr. 2026
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Since verification is a very time-consuming and resource-intensive process, several authors have identified alternative ways in which journalists can arm themselves against attacks on their objectivity without having to investigate every last detail of information.—
Florian Wintterlin,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe.—
Stephanie Pappas,
Scientific American,
21 Apr. 2026
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The researchers also found that being young, female, and well educated increased the odds that someone would be moist averse, as did being disgusted more generally by bodily functions.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
21 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Warm (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/warm%20%28up%29. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
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