Definition of preamblenext
1
as in prelude
a performance, activity, or event that precedes and sets the stage for the main event the round of hors d'oeuvres was merely the preamble to an evening of lavish feasting

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in introduction
a short section (as of a book) that leads to or explains the main part an insightful analysis of the preamble to the Constitution of the United States

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 preamble This year, however, the marketing language seemed dialed up to 11, with a lot of preamble throughout the 75-minute keynote. — Tyler Hayes, PC Magazine, 9 June 2026 This essay opens with a preamble that directly addresses your audience. — Literary Hub, 9 June 2026 The Illinois budget and good policies are the catalyst to achieving the goals in the preamble. — Willie Wilson, Chicago Tribune, 4 June 2026 The preamble to the code recognizes that visual journalists are trustees of the public by providing independent, diverse views of events and issues and exposing wrongdoing. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 5 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for preamble
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preamble
Noun
  • The beginning of Between Worlds functions as a kind of prelude, offering a straightforward primer on Said.
    — Lovia Gyarkye, HollywoodReporter, 4 Oct. 2026
  • People may be wondering if the nor’easter flooding is a prelude for what to expect as a strong El Niño continues to build this winter and as sea level rises in the future.
    — Brian Tang, The Conversation, 30 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The Air Max Plus was designed by Sean McDowell and first released in 1998, serving as an introduction to Nike’s latest cushioning breakthrough, Tuned Air.
    — Riley Jones, Footwear News, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Larkin, wearing street clothes, was booed during pregame introductions.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • This year’s Miss World competition recently made headlines during the preliminaries when Ugandan delegate Elle Muhoza made a powerful fashion statement.
    — Tabitha Parent, PEOPLE, 5 Sep. 2026
  • But all of that was just the preliminaries for Grady Emerson.
    — John Romano, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 July 2026
Noun
  • So reads the first line in the preface of the first edition (1768) of the Encyclopædia Britannica.
    — Murasaki Shikibu, Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 Sep. 2026
  • What could have been a throwaway nibble instead becomes a thought-through, gripping preface that sets up what’s to come.
    — Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
Noun
  • According to Complex, Kid Rock elaborates on a different, higher profile collaboration on his forthcoming album in the project’s foreword.
    — Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The lavish collection includes a foreword by royal journalist and biographer Tina Brown, who spent one-on-one time with the late princess during a lunch at the Four Seasons in New York just weeks before her death.
    — Sophie Dunne, Footwear News, 14 Sep. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Preamble.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preamble. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on preamble

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!