as in preparatory
coming before the main part or item usually to introduce or prepare for what follows
in prefatory remarks he offered his own definition of "civilization", a word subject to a variety of interpretations
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Recent Examples of prefatory
Could be that fans were simply exhausted by all the prefatory ugliness that led up to Washington’s first playoff victory in 18 years, but anyone who tuned out early missed a hell of a star turn from the Commanders’ Jayden Daniels.
—
Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 3 Sep. 2019
The prefatory pause gives the audience a chance to applaud a starry ensemble.
—Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 13 Dec. 2024
As the author’s prefatory note indicates, the book centers on the discovery, in 2001, of an unidentified Black boy’s remains in the River Thames.
—Gboyega Odubanjo, The New Yorker, 24 June 2024
As Chin writes in a prefatory author’s note, her family’s history traveled down to her primarily via oral history.
—Rhoda Feng, Washington Post, 27 Apr. 2023
But even before her characters intersect, familiar objects — a dreidel, nesting dolls, exquisitely carved chess pieces — keep popping up in prefatory monologues and the stories themselves.
—Julia M. Klein, BostonGlobe.com, 23 Mar. 2023
Venice opens with a prefatory poem recalling a trip from Beirut to Cyprus, the birthplace of Aphrodite.
—Dan Chiasson, The New York Review of Books, 7 Sep. 2022
What might have gone down as an odd concert experience was energized by Taylor’s prefatory joke inviting us to imagine FBI agents singing this song during their recent search at Mar-a-Lago.
—W. Anthony Sheppard, BostonGlobe.com, 22 Aug. 2022
After this prefatory video ends, a door automatically slides open, giving access to a chamber that evokes the exterior of Tut’s royal tomb, the only largely intact one ever found in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings.
—Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, 23 June 2022
Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 3 Sep. 2019
The prefatory pause gives the audience a chance to applaud a starry ensemble.
—Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 13 Dec. 2024
As the author’s prefatory note indicates, the book centers on the discovery, in 2001, of an unidentified Black boy’s remains in the River Thames.
—Gboyega Odubanjo, The New Yorker, 24 June 2024
As Chin writes in a prefatory author’s note, her family’s history traveled down to her primarily via oral history.
—Rhoda Feng, Washington Post, 27 Apr. 2023
But even before her characters intersect, familiar objects — a dreidel, nesting dolls, exquisitely carved chess pieces — keep popping up in prefatory monologues and the stories themselves.
—Julia M. Klein, BostonGlobe.com, 23 Mar. 2023
Venice opens with a prefatory poem recalling a trip from Beirut to Cyprus, the birthplace of Aphrodite.
—Dan Chiasson, The New York Review of Books, 7 Sep. 2022
What might have gone down as an odd concert experience was energized by Taylor’s prefatory joke inviting us to imagine FBI agents singing this song during their recent search at Mar-a-Lago.
—W. Anthony Sheppard, BostonGlobe.com, 22 Aug. 2022
After this prefatory video ends, a door automatically slides open, giving access to a chamber that evokes the exterior of Tut’s royal tomb, the only largely intact one ever found in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings.
—Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, 23 June 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prefatory
Adjective
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The overdraft rule, which the consumer bureau finalized in December after years of preparatory work, was scheduled to take effect in late 2025.—
Stacy Cowley,
New York Times,
27 Mar. 2025
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Those were narrowed down to just three this week: time between teacher evaluations, additional elementary instructional preparatory time and raises for veteran teachers.—
Nell Salzman,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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For various introductory examples and further detailed indications about generating prompts prompting, see my coverage at the link here.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
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Completing an introductory period does not guarantee continued employment.—
Dan Eaton,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Since Naeher announced the end of her international career, Hayes has called in six goalkeepers (counting her preliminary squad and January training camp), with no clarity on who has the upper hand to start.—
Jeff Rueter,
New York Times,
5 Apr. 2025
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Tacopina had begun working Ephron, the accusing witness, a year before the trial in the preliminary hearing.—
Julian Sancton,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Prefatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prefatory. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.
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