as in prelude
a performance, activity, or event that precedes and sets the stage for the main event
the couple's initial exchange of insults proved to be only a warm-up for their booze-fueled fight later that night
Synonyms & Similar Words
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of warm (up)
Katherine Lagrave, AFAR Media, 10 Dec. 2024
The other big question is whether a good, hard warm-up accomplishes the same thing.
—Alex Hutchinson, Outside Online, 16 Dec. 2024
As more players take the field to warm-up, colleague Jeff Zrebiec stops by to catch up.
—Dan Duggan, The Athletic, 16 Dec. 2024
In this scenario, the move works great as a warm-up activation drill before a workout, Dr. Betiku says—like this four-move lower-body dumbbell routine, for example.
—Christa Sgobba, SELF, 11 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for warm (up) 
Noun
Lean into Nordic life with a warm-up inside floating sauna Sisu + Löyly.
—Katherine Lagrave, AFAR Media, 10 Dec. 2024
The other big question is whether a good, hard warm-up accomplishes the same thing.
—Alex Hutchinson, Outside Online, 16 Dec. 2024
As more players take the field to warm-up, colleague Jeff Zrebiec stops by to catch up.
—Dan Duggan, The Athletic, 16 Dec. 2024
In this scenario, the move works great as a warm-up activation drill before a workout, Dr. Betiku says—like this four-move lower-body dumbbell routine, for example.
—Christa Sgobba, SELF, 11 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for warm (up)
Recent Examples of Synonyms for warm (up)
Verb
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Oils, scrubs, and detoxes all provide balance and ensure optimal growth.Essence, Essence, 14 Jan. 2025
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Context: Needle exchange programs provide clean syringes for people using drugs and dispose of used ones, steps that can reduce the spread of diseases like hepatitis C and HIV.Esteban L. Hernandez, Axios, 14 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Irsay has yet to speak on the matter, and if the past is a prelude, that usually means change is coming.Zak Keefer, The Athletic, 2 Jan. 2025
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If the past is prelude, in 2025 many individual investors will trade options heavily.Hersh Shefrin, Forbes, 31 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Wirth said Chevron will help supply these data centers with gas , hinting at more specific announcements on the horizon.Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 8 Jan. 2025
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In the end, more than 10,000 people and organizations supplied means for some 4,700 animals’ successful transportation to new homes in at least temporarily safer areas.Dennis Harvey, Variety, 8 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The Southern Section held its track and field preliminaries at four sites around Southern California on Saturday, and sophomore Brian Bonner of Valencia High continued his rise to prominence.Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 4 May 2024
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In 1988: Greg Louganis won the gold medal in the 3-meter springboard at the Seoul Olympics one day after hitting his head on the diving board during the preliminaries.Lorenzino Estrada, The Arizona Republic, 21 Sep. 2024
Verb
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Other cities around the planet had heavy industries and daily traffic jams, but L.A.’s geography furnishes its sky with a long memory.Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 11 Jan. 2025
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Each day brought new costs: $47,000 for an HVAC system; $170,000 to the general contractor; $130,000 to stock the playground and furnish the building.ProPublica, ProPublica, 10 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The Pentagon said Friday that two military C-130 Hercules aircraft equipped with a firefighting system are now on the scene, according to Military.com.Michael Dorgan, Fox News, 12 Jan. 2025
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However, the fundamental core of the creative process remains unchanged; talented individuals, equipped with the appropriate tools, are ultimately responsible for bringing new ideas to life.Kimberly A. Whitler, Forbes, 12 Jan. 2025
Verb
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David Lee, chief operating officer and chief financial officer of Webtoon Entertainment, came to the Entertainment Summit armed with eye-popping numbers that helped attendees understand the scope of the webtoon phenomenon.Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 10 Jan. 2025
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China is one of the nine nations armed with nuclear weapons.Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 9 Jan. 2025
Verb
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With the growth of phishing, educating employees on suspicious links and being mindful of grammar and formatting errors is important.Mike Wilson, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
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The group’s funding comes from Mansoor and Haider Syed, two brothers who were born in Saudi Arabia but educated in the U.S. who led a fund established to buy a football club.Matt Woosnam, The Athletic, 6 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near warm (up)
Cite this Entry
“Warm (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/warm%20%28up%29. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
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