Synonyms of overtures

overtures

noun

plural of overture

as in preludes

a performance, activity, or event that precedes and sets the stage for the main event

the parade down Main Street served as the overture for a weekend of fun and festivities

Synonyms & Similar Words

• preludes
• preliminaries
• curtain-raisers
• preambles
• prologues
• warm-ups
• countdowns
• starts
• lead-ins
• run-ups
• kickoffs

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of overtures

The Saudi overtures come at a sensitive time for the kingdom. — Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026

Hardliners in Iran initially criticized Pezeshkian and Araghchi’s diplomatic overtures to Washington, deeming a decision to visit the country actively waging war against them as a sign of surrender. — Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 25 Sep. 2026

Marconi has resisted overtures from private equity firms, which have shown a growing appetite to invest in the food industry. — Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 23 Sep. 2026

Many people avoid answering pollsters’ overtures, a reality that makes representative samples drawn from surveys alone nearly impossible. — W. Joseph Campbell, The Conversation, 22 Sep. 2026

Tottenham’s Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray, Stuttgart’s Angelo Stiller, Brighton’s Carlos Belaba, Botafogo’s Danilo and Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Larsson were among them, while overtures were made regarding Victor Froholdt’s availability at Porto. — George Caulkin, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2026

The United States had been looking for an interlocutor with Cuba and made overtures with Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, grandson of former Cuban president Raúl Castro, according to an exclusive USA TODAY interview in July. — Rick Jervis, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2026

Many analysts argue that these overtures to Beijing and Moscow constitute a strategy of multialignment—the act of balancing many partners without committing to any one bloc or country. — C. Raja Mohan, Foreign Affairs, 27 Aug. 2026

Their house in Monterrey (the second largest metro area in Mexico) was always filled with music, whether musicals or classical overtures or rock. — Selena Fragassi, SPIN, 27 Aug. 2026