as in preparatory
coming before the main part or item usually to introduce or prepare for what follows
we need to do some preliminary research in order to properly focus the experiment
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in prelude
a performance, activity, or event that precedes and sets the stage for the main event
a meeting to discuss seating arrangements that was merely a preliminary to the formal negotiating sessions
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 preliminary
Ella Lee, The Hill, 6 May 2026
Communion was finally permitted to be brought into the Broadview facility in February on Ash Wednesday, under a preliminary injunction following a lengthy legal battle.
—Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 6 May 2026
Paris Wilson, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Jan. 2026
Is it reduced to yet another fill-in-the-blank preliminary to a national title game in some super-duper-they-look-alike stadium?
—Los Angeles Times, 2 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for preliminary
Adjective
Tuesday The man accused of attempting to murder Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought is due to appear in Virginia court for a preliminary hearing.
—Ella Lee, The Hill, 6 May 2026
Communion was finally permitted to be brought into the Broadview facility in February on Ash Wednesday, under a preliminary injunction following a lengthy legal battle.
—Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 6 May 2026
Noun
Lower‑demand preliminaries will likely be the most affordable, while high‑profile events—gymnastics finals, swimming finals, track and field, and the opening ceremony—will sit at the top end of the pricing spectrum.
—Paris Wilson, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Jan. 2026
Is it reduced to yet another fill-in-the-blank preliminary to a national title game in some super-duper-they-look-alike stadium?
—Los Angeles Times, 2 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for preliminary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preliminary
Adjective
-
Najib was the only one of the defendants who was arrested and present in person in court Sunday for a preparatory session in the trial, which will continue next month.—
Ghaith Alsayed,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Apr. 2026
-
The Czech power company ČEZ signed a deal on Friday with Rolls-Royce SMR on preparatory work for the British company to build the first small modular nuclear reactor in the Czech Republic.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The California Classic, a July prelude to the more expansive Las Vegas NBA Summer League, has released a schedule that will have a version of the Heat back on the court on July 3.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Their heartfelt hospitality is a prelude to the deeply personal food and drinks to come.—
Louisa Kung Liu Chu,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
That archive of prints is in the process of being broken up for sale, and a few hundred of those boxes, including this set of 36 prints plus a clutch of introductory material and captions, have made their way to Daniel/Oliver, a gallery in East Williamsburg.—
Christopher Bonanos,
Curbed,
28 Apr. 2026
-
At Fudd’s introductory press conference with the Wings on April 16, she was asked to comment on her off-court connection with Bueckers by a local reporter.—
Emily Adams,
Hartford Courant,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Preliminary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preliminary. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
