preliminary
Americanadjective
noun
-
something preliminary, as an introductory or preparatory step, measure, contest, etc..
He passed the preliminary and went on to the finals.
-
a boxing match or other athletic contest that takes place before the main event on the program.
A preliminary was fought at 8:00.
-
a preliminary examination, as of a candidate for an academic degree.
-
Printing. preliminaries, front matter.
adjective
noun
-
a preliminary event or occurrence
-
an eliminating contest held before the main competition
Synonym Usage
Preliminary, introductory both refer to that which comes before the principal subject of consideration. That which is preliminary is in the nature of preparation or of clearing away details which would encumber the main subject or problem; it often deals with arrangements and the like, which have to do only incidentally with the principal subject: preliminary negotiations. That which is introductory leads with natural, logical, or close connection directly into the main subject of consideration: introductory steps.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of preliminary
First recorded in 1650–60; from French prélimin(aire) and New Latin praelīmināris ( see pre-, liminal) + -ary
Explanation
Preliminary means something that comes before something else. If you want to run in the race, you have to place in the top third of the preliminary round. It can also mean "early" — the preliminary results are in, and you've won! Preliminary is often used euphemistically, as in, "There are a few preliminaries we'll need to take care of before you start your new job. First, sign over all your worldly goods to the company, then write a letter to your family explaining that you will never see them again. All set?"
Vocabulary lists containing preliminary
Vocabulary of the Summer Olympics
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
A Spelling Bee for Fun
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Mockingbird
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
The researchers emphasize that these results are preliminary and have not yet been confirmed in people.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 13, 2026
In a statement, his spokesperson said a preliminary report from the medical examiner for the District of Columbia found that the 71-year-old senator died of aortic dissection due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 12, 2026
In its preliminary findings, the European Commission said features such as infinite scroll, autoplaying videos and personalised recommendations could encourage "compulsive use", particularly among children and teens.
From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026
The next Michigan report, with a preliminary July sentiment reading, is planned for July 17.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
Let’s examine a preliminary and relevant probability oddity, whose discovery is due to statistician Bradley Efron.
From "Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences" by John Allen Paulos
Nine university students entered the preliminaries this year, wrestling bulls weighing hundreds of kilograms and sporting hard, stubby horns.
From Barron's ● Jun. 28, 2026
Renoir stopped making preparatory studies between 1865 and 1875 when, like his Impressionist colleagues Claude Monet, Alfred Sisley and Camille Pissarro, he worked directly from the motif, without preliminaries.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 20, 2025
It’s time to start reaching peak form when the preliminaries will take place on Thursday at Birmingham High in preparation for next Thursday’s finals at the same venue.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 15, 2025
As the preliminaries drew to a close, Mike’s friends gradually started coming upstairs to join him.
From Slate ● Oct. 31, 2024
Along with Cassius, I really was more worried about how his brother Rudolph was going to do, fighting his first pro fight in the preliminaries.
From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey
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.
