overture
Americannoun
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an opening or initiating move toward negotiations, a new relationship, an agreement, etc.; a formal or informal proposal or offer.
overtures of peace; a shy man who rarely made overtures of friendship.
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Music.
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an orchestral composition forming the prelude or introduction to an opera, oratorio, etc.
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an independent piece of similar character.
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an introductory part, as of a poem; prelude; prologue.
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(in Presbyterian churches)
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the action of an ecclesiastical court in submitting a question or proposal to presbyteries.
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the proposal or question so submitted.
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verb (used with object)
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overtures,
present (3rd person singular)
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overtured,
past participle, past
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overturing
present participle
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to submit as an overture or proposal.
to overture conditions for a ceasefire.
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to make an overture or proposal to.
to overture one's adversary through a neutral party.
noun
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music
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a piece of orchestral music containing contrasting sections that is played at the beginning of an opera or oratorio, often containing the main musical themes of the work
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a similar piece preceding the performance of a play
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Also called: concert overture. a one-movement orchestral piece, usually having a descriptive or evocative title
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a short piece in three movements ( French overture or Italian overture ) common in the 17th and 18th centuries
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(often plural) a proposal, act, or gesture initiating a relationship, negotiation, etc
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something that introduces what follows
verb
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to make or present an overture to
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to introduce with an overture
Synonym Usage
See proposal.
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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overturesimple
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overturessimple
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have overturedperfect
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has overturedperfect
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am overturingprogressive
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are overturingprogressive
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is overturingprogressive
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have been overturingperfect progressive
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has been overturingperfect progressive
Past
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overturedsimple
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had overturedperfect
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was overturingprogressive
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were overturingprogressive
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had been overturingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of overture
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Old French; see overt, -ure; doublet of aperture
Explanation
An overture is a piece of music played by an orchestra at the beginning of an opera or play. When an overture begins, the actors take their places and wait for the curtain to rise. The noun overture can also mean "a suggestion or approach designed to get a reaction." Your romantic overture of singing to your girlfriend in the restaurant was met with an embarrassed stare. An overture can also be an event that comes first, like your story about how the after-school program has helped hundreds of kids, an overture to the plea for donations you made next.
Vocabulary lists containing overture
To Kill a Mockingbird
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This Week in Words: December 30, 2017 - January 5, 2018
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This Week In Words: Current Events Vocab for October 3–9, 2020
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
In 2017, when serving as Brown-Forman’s board chairman, he had resisted a takeover overture from Corona brewer Constellation Brands, signing a statement saying that Brown-Forman “was not for sale.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 23, 2026
As an encore, Noseda led the overture to Bernstein’s “Candide” with real flair.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026
But for Scott, that overture is not enough, and he has said Alberta has no option left but to set its own rules.
From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026
The company has moved to monetize some of its real estate but rejected the takeover overture in 2024.
From Barron's ● May 18, 2026
She looked up when the musical overture ended, and in its place an anticipatory silence weighted the air.
From "Beasts of Prey" by Ayana Gray
“Kim Jong Un has always treated me with great respect,” Trump said, confirming that the North Korean leader had replied to his overtures.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026
Despite generous overtures to Stevens and assurances to the Jewish community El-Sayed made in remarks on Wednesday morning after the race was called, there are intraparty divisions left to heal.
From Salon ● Aug. 6, 2026
Google has made some overtures to news outlets, including launching a program paying more than 200 publishers for access to their content for AI use.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
The overtures have been rebuffed by China, whose nuclear arsenal is much smaller than Russia's but has been rapidly growing.
From Barron's ● Jul. 7, 2026
Privately, Eisenhower began to dread what might happen if the U-2 program were exposed to the world, or the impact such a revelation might have on his new overtures to the Soviet leader.
From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau
The book was for many days snubbed, buffeted, browbeaten; and the care fully-woven tapestry was torn into shreds and trampled upon; and it seemed that the patiently sculptured shrine was overtured and despised and desecrated.
From St. Elmo by Augusta J. (Augusta Jane) Evans
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
