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 decision came after a five-day preliminary hearing, in which Los Angeles prosecutors questioned a dozen witnesses and displayed photographic evidence as 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez's family watched on.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
The findings should therefore be regarded as preliminary until they appear in a peer-reviewed publication.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 27, 2026
The footage also shows Graham’s occasional frustration with Trump, particularly for signing a preliminary deal with Iran in June.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026
District Judge Denise Casper’s preliminary injunction while the broader legal challenge moves forward.
From Salon ● Jul. 26, 2026
It wasn’t that they were seriously concerned about their preliminary heat.
From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown
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
The City Section track preliminaries and finals will be run on Birmingham High’s new Mondo track, which is like running on a carpet and improves times.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 4, 2025
Aside from the bartender, there was only one person actually braving the record-breaking 110-degree heat on the roof and watching UFC preliminaries on the wall-mounted TV: a gregarious, stocky, bespectacled older man named Mike.
From Slate ● Oct. 31, 2024
Within a month the preliminaries were completed, the day was fixed.
From "Nectar in a Sieve" by Kamala Markandaya
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.
