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)
Emma Loewe, Outside, 11 Mar. 2026
The exceptional warm-up follows a drier end to winter across Southern California.
—Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2026
Start runs with a walking warm-up and stretch afterward.
—Danielle Zickl, Health, 10 Mar. 2026
Ngongba was a game-time decision Saturday with foot soreness and ultimately did not suit up despite limited pregame warm-ups.
—Brendan Marks, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for warm (up)
Noun
Dynamic warm-ups also help prepare the body for the impact of running.
—Emma Loewe, Outside, 11 Mar. 2026
The exceptional warm-up follows a drier end to winter across Southern California.
—Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2026
Start runs with a walking warm-up and stretch afterward.
—Danielle Zickl, Health, 10 Mar. 2026
Ngongba was a game-time decision Saturday with foot soreness and ultimately did not suit up despite limited pregame warm-ups.
—Brendan Marks, New York Times, 8 Mar. 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
-
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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For the occasion, my mother had put on her Balenciaga, a black dress with two wide shoulder straps, a firm bodice, a full skirt that ended a few inches above the ankles, and the illusion of an underskirt supplied by a band of taffeta ruffles, also black, that peeked out from beneath the hem.—
Han Ong,
New Yorker,
15 Mar. 2026
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So, not only to mute the impacts of these interruptions right now, but to lead to a future where America is energy strong, energy dominant, Americans have lower energy prices, and America can help supply energy to an increasing number of our allies around the world.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 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
-
The Rousseaus furnished the property with their own artwork, antiques, heirloom porcelain, and glassware.—
Elizabeth Cantrell,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The property is equipped with a heating system.—
Bay Area Home Report,
Mercury News,
17 Mar. 2026
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My in-destination partners are equipped to handle any unexpected challenges swiftly, maintaining the quality and enjoyment of your travel.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 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 18 Mar. 2026.
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