PRELUDES Synonyms: 42 Similar and Opposite Words

preludes

noun

plural of prelude

as in prologues

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

Relevance

as in prefaces

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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for preludes

Noun

Tottenham’s Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray, Stuttgart’s Angelo Stiller, Brighton’s Carlos Belaba, Botafogo’s Danilo and Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Larsson were among them, while overtures were made regarding Victor Froholdt’s availability at Porto.

— George Caulkin, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2026
The United States had been looking for an interlocutor with Cuba and made overtures with Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, grandson of former Cuban president Raúl Castro, according to an exclusive USA TODAY interview in July.

— Rick Jervis, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of overtures

Noun

Jones and Feliciano won their introductory press conference Monday, creating a level of engagement and connection that topped even the public introductions of Moores and Lucchino in 1995 and the Seidler-Ron Fowler group in 2012.

— Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
The first day of school is always filled with smiles, introductions and hope for the year ahead.

— Andrew Spar, Sun Sentinel, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of introductions

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.

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prelude

preludes

prelusive

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“Preludes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preludes. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of preludes

noun

Example Sentences

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