preamble

noun

ˈprē-ˌam-bəl How to pronounce preamble (audio)
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

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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
  1. prelude
  2. introduction
  3. preliminary
  4. preface
  5. foreword
Noun
  • 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
  • Cooper—who is reportedly in Paris to film a prelude to Ocean’s Eleven with Margot Robbie—was not pictured.
    — Lara Walsh, InStyle, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of prelude
Noun
  • Within the same country, a city break can mean seafood and island hopping, a cross-border weekend, centuries of university history or an introduction to life in the Arctic.
    — David Nikel, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
  • This was my introduction, on a hot Tuesday afternoon, to Shimamoto’s peerless ramen.
    — Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of introduction
Noun
  • But all of that was just the preliminaries for Grady Emerson.
    — John Romano, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 July 2026
  • The meet continues Thursday, a day consisting largely of women’s preliminaries, followed by men’s finals Friday and women’s finals Saturday.
    — Mike Wilson, New York Times, 11 June 2026
Definition of preliminary
Noun
  • 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
  • In the preface of her new book, MJ Corey offers a note of apology for pouring so much energy into analyzing a family that’s famously famous for being famous, and for little else, said Megan Garber in The Atlantic.
    — The Week US, TheWeek, 10 June 2026
Definition of preface
Noun
  • The new edition includes previously unseen archival photographs, a new introduction, a personal eulogy for late Smiths bassist Andy Rourke and a foreword from Oasis’ Noel Gallagher.
    — SPIN Staff, SPIN, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The book features previously-unseen archival photography, a new introduction, a personal eulogy for Johnny’s friend and the Smiths’ bassist Andy Rourke, and a foreword by Noel Gallagher.
    — Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of foreword

Browse Nearby Words

preadolescences
preamble
preambles
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Cite this Entry

“Preamble.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preamble. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on preamble

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about preamble

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