prelude

noun

ˈprel-ˌyüd How to pronounce prelude (audio)
Definition of preludenext
1
as in prologue
a performance, activity, or event that precedes and sets the stage for the main event an eruption of sectarian violence that proved to be the prelude to all-out civil war

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in introduction
a short section (as of a book) that leads to or explains the main part the musical had a brief prelude to get the audience in the proper mood

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 prelude Saturday night, there will be a poolside prelude tasting event for VIPs, and Sunday is the big festival that allows patrons a chance to sample all of the vineyard's wines while enjoying local food and live music. — Madeline Montgomery, CBS News, 17 Sep. 2026 Zach Benson’s playoff performance looked like a prelude to a breakout. — Matthew Fairburn, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026 In 1996, when the first three novels were reprinted again, Kennedy appended a prelude that reads like an account of the cycle’s evolution—except that the author of these books is identified as Billy Phelan’s nephew Daniel Quinn. — Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 1 Sep. 2026 Pendry Park City Park City, UT Park City is a world-class resort town and year-round destination where hiking and biking are a prelude to an exciting nightlife. — Roger Sands, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for prelude
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prelude
  1. prologue
  2. introduction
  3. preliminary
  4. preface
  5. overture
  6. foreword
Noun
  • The prologue starts in 1986 in Newfoundland with a family relocating, uprooting their lives in the most all-encompassing of ways, taking their entire home — propped up on a barge and steered by a lone motorboat — across a bay.
    — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2026
  • In fact, the historical episodes depicted in the prologue — historical episodes that occurred in 1956 — remain unpunished to this day.
    — Roberto Prieto, Variety, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of prologue
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
Definition of introduction
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
Definition of preliminary
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
Definition of preface
Noun
  • The Saudi overtures come at a sensitive time for the kingdom.
    — Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The source added that the overture makes sense because Authentic has interest in entertainment properties, particularly those tailored to kids.
    — Maggie Roth, CNBC, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of overture
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
Definition of foreword

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prelude
preludes
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Cite this Entry

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

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More from Merriam-Webster on prelude

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about prelude

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