variants also prolog
Definition of prologuenext
1
as in prelude
a performance, activity, or event that precedes and sets the stage for the main event unfortunately, the burglary, which he committed while still a teen, was but a prologue to a wasted life of crime

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2

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 prologue However, CyberLeek seems to have retaliated by leaking footage showing the apparent prologue of the game. — Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 26 Aug. 2026 This excerpt combines the prologue and a chapter focused on his mother’s beginnings in Cleveland’s police department. — Wilbert L. Cooper, Longreads, 25 Aug. 2026 Maybe that’s because Scott is trying to differentiate the narrative style of the prologue from Tracy’s chapter. — Keziah Weir, Vanity Fair, 13 Aug. 2026 Crosland’s interpretation begins with a prologue showing the origin of Don Juan’s romantic cynicism, followed by an epic tale of lust, love, and deceit. — Air Mail, 8 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for prologue
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prologue
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
Noun
  • After Hammett’s extended guitar intro, one of the night’s most familiar songs was allowed to breathe.
    — Melinda Sheckells, HollywoodReporter, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card has a similar intro APR period but only on balance transfers.
    — Andreina Rodriguez, CNBC, 25 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Prologue.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prologue. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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