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)
Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 12 Apr. 2025
But a warm-up is coming for the weekend, with temperatures climbing to the mid-70s on Saturday and the mid to upper 80s on Sunday, according to the weather service.
—Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 11 Apr. 2025
Before the jackets are issued, the trophies are inscribed and the $20 million purse is disbursed, PGA fans can catch a leisurely warm-up swing for this weekend’s Masters.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2025
Weekend warm-up likely in metro A warming trend with dry weather is expected for the weekend.
—Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for warm (up)
Noun
Prior to the Coachella gig, the Go-Go’s played a warm-up show at Los Angeles’ the Roxy this week.
—Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 12 Apr. 2025
But a warm-up is coming for the weekend, with temperatures climbing to the mid-70s on Saturday and the mid to upper 80s on Sunday, according to the weather service.
—Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 11 Apr. 2025
Before the jackets are issued, the trophies are inscribed and the $20 million purse is disbursed, PGA fans can catch a leisurely warm-up swing for this weekend’s Masters.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2025
Weekend warm-up likely in metro A warming trend with dry weather is expected for the weekend.
—Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for warm (up)
Recent Examples of Synonyms for warm (up)
Verb
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Dutch florists provided tens of thousands of flowers in an intricate, colorful layout − a tradition in its 39th year.—
John Bacon,
USA Today,
21 Apr. 2025
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Companion planting can provide a natural structure or shade.—
Lauren David,
Southern Living,
20 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Image Lacking indoor plumbing, the family basked in this sauna as a prelude to bathing in the cold lake.—
Julie Lasky,
New York Times,
4 Apr. 2025
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At one point, during our game, my mother-in-law said that dominoes could be used to speak to the dead, a comment that had no prelude and which received no verbal response from anyone at the table.—
Hazlitt,
Hazlitt,
2 Apr. 2025
Verb
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In South Australia, solar, wind and batteries supply about 75% of the state’s electricity, and the goal is 100% by 2027.—
Ian Dexter Palmer,
Forbes.com,
14 Apr. 2025
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San Diego County’s fire department contracts with Cal Fire to staff its fire stations, but the county supplies and owns the apparatus.—
Teri Figueroa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Late preliminaries available on ESPN+, ESPN, Disney+, and ESPN Deportes at 8 p.m. ET.—
Jim Varsallone,
Miami Herald,
9 Apr. 2025
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While the diving kicked off Thursday, the swimming gets underway with preliminaries on Friday, with the finals for both swimming and diving slated for Saturday.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
6 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Church volunteers, who were accustomed to helping furnish and decorate apartments for new arrivals, now had to help prevent evictions.—
Amy Yurkanin,
ProPublica,
15 Apr. 2025
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Premium Apartments: For those seeking extended stays or additional space, fully furnished one-bedroom apartments with kitchenettes, balconies, and washers/dryers are available.—
Judy Koutsky,
Forbes.com,
14 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The factory is equipped with intelligent systems that streamline production while maintaining standards.—
Lauren Carpenter,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2025
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The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) announced Saturday the aircraft was not equipped with any flight recorders, leaving many questions unanswered.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
17 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The Michael Monsoor and its two sister ships will be the first American vessels to be armed with hypersonic missiles, which can travel at over five times the speed of sound.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Apr. 2025
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This brings us to today, when enterprise networks are more complex than ever before, and IT teams—even those armed with greater visibility and control—have even more to do than ever before.—
Charles Yeomans,
Forbes.com,
14 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Don't show up and ask someone there to educate you.—
Louryn Strampe,
Wired News,
9 Apr. 2025
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The Charlotte Observer spoke to Chris Hayes, an extension associate of structural pest management at NC State University who specializes educating the pest management industry on critter habits, to find out.—
Evan Moore,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Warm (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/warm%20%28up%29. Accessed 27 Apr. 2025.
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