as in preparatory
coming before the main part or item usually to introduce or prepare for what follows
we need to do some preliminary research in order to properly focus the experiment
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in prelude
a performance, activity, or event that precedes and sets the stage for the main event
a meeting to discuss seating arrangements that was merely a preliminary to the formal negotiating sessions
Synonyms & Similar Words
Examples 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 preliminary
Mary Jo Pitzl, The Arizona Republic, 12 Dec. 2024
The women beat Moldova 8-0 and were competitive in defeats to Finland (5-2) and Slovenia (4-2), sending them home from Euros qualifying in the preliminary rounds, but positive for a history-making team.
—Liam Tharme, The Athletic, 12 Dec. 2024
Paul McCardell, Baltimore Sun, 26 July 2024
On the national level, the competition is in four phases: preliminaries, quarterfinals, semifinals and finals.
—Alex Groth, Journal Sentinel, 28 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for preliminary 
Adjective
Although the two court rulings were only preliminary injunctions, not final judgments, there's no reason to think the merger will revive, given the acrimony arising from the merger, Ross said.
—Mary Jo Pitzl, The Arizona Republic, 12 Dec. 2024
The women beat Moldova 8-0 and were competitive in defeats to Finland (5-2) and Slovenia (4-2), sending them home from Euros qualifying in the preliminary rounds, but positive for a history-making team.
—Liam Tharme, The Athletic, 12 Dec. 2024
Noun
Born in Baltimore and a graduate of Mount St. Joseph High School, swimmer Tommy Hannan won gold as a swimmer in the preliminaries of the Sydney 2000 400 medley relay, which was won by teammates swimming in the finals.
—Paul McCardell, Baltimore Sun, 26 July 2024
On the national level, the competition is in four phases: preliminaries, quarterfinals, semifinals and finals.
—Alex Groth, Journal Sentinel, 28 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for preliminary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preliminary
Adjective
-
The ultimate goal of any preparatory practice is to get an accountable human thinking about the situation and planning in advance.Tor Constantino, MBA, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024
-
Sign up Renaissance drawings were generally used as preparatory tools, said Alastair Sooke in The Daily Telegraph.The Week UK, theweek, 15 Nov. 2024
Noun
-
If past is prelude, Trump’s resulting approach will likely be highly disruptive—especially since some of his goals are mutually incompatible.Suzanne Maloney, Foreign Affairs, 10 Dec. 2024
-
The altcoin rally observed since November appears to be a prelude to a bigger altcoin season in 2025.Marie Poteriaieva, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
Start with introductory courses or free resources such as YouTube tutorials to build a solid foundation.Jay Garcia, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024
-
Soto posted a picture of himself in a Mets hat and jersey that was taken during his introductory press conference at Citi Field.Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 17 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near preliminary
Cite this Entry
“Preliminary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preliminary. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share