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

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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

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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 Enough preamble from me; let’s get into his reporting. Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2026 In addition, this rule finalizes some of the amendments that were proposed on January 16, 2025, to fix incorrect regulatory text citations as well as clarify and add provisions in the regulatory text to match the language included in the preamble. Maya Wilkins, Chicago Tribune, 13 Feb. 2026 Academy President Lynette Howell Taylor kicked off the ceremony with a brief speech thanking the audience, both in person and those watching the livestream, while providing a preamble that gestured at the ongoing conversations about the role of AI in film. Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 22 Jan. 2026 What Shyne focuses on in this quiet, experiential preamble is not the who, the where, or the why of this person’s passing. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 17 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for preamble
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preamble
Noun
  • The race is a prelude to the Preakness, featuring 3-year-old fillies (female race horses).
    Baltimore Sun staff, Baltimore Sun, 8 May 2026
  • But the June ballot isn’t just a prelude to November — some races will be decided with it.
    Abby Hamblin, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026
Noun
  • Fans serenaded Saiss, who now plays for Qatari side Al Sadd, and showed their appreciation for Jimenez throughout the game on Sunday, even when the Mexico international was simply warming up before his second-half introduction.
    Steve Madeley, New York Times, 18 May 2026
  • At the entrance, a shelf displays ceramics made by local craftspeople, each piece accompanied by an introduction to the creative who made it.
    Bridget Mills-Powell, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 May 2026
Noun
  • Hernandez, now a Southern Section champion again, along with all the other winners will move onto the CIF preliminaries next Saturday to face the rest of the state's top female jumpers, with a chance to get back to the state finals.
    Ryan Gaydos OutKick, FOXNews.com, 19 May 2026
  • Tennyson never made it to the Southern Section track preliminaries after winning the league title.
    Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2026
Noun
  • Trump’s preface opens by celebrating counterterrorism achievements that analysts describe as inflated or lacking in nuance.
    Hannah Allam, ProPublica, 14 May 2026
  • The volume collects work from the last decade, each with a brief preface from the author, giving us a puncture of the present into her words of the past.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Jim Parsons wrote the foreword.
    Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 14 May 2026
  • His former roles include FBI Special Agent and SWAT Team member; Deputy Director of the California Office of Homeland Security under Arnold Schwarzenegger, who provides a foreword in the memoir; and Chief of Homeland Security and Intelligence for the Los Angeles World Airports Police Department.
    Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 21 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Preamble.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preamble. Accessed 22 May. 2026.

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