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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of warm (up)
Matt Murschel, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 Mar. 2025
The mood in the group was light, with Raducanu playing American football, football and cornhole during her warm-ups, and playing spikeball with her team just before going on court.
—Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
Marchand was greeted by plenty of fans around the ice during warm-ups and even flicked a puck into the stands toward one group to give them a keepsake.
—Tim Reynolds, Sun Sentinel, 28 Mar. 2025
Participants first had a warm-up session that included walking and jumping to minimize data variability caused by muscle stiffness or unfamiliarity with the equipment.
—New Atlas, 27 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for warm (up)
Noun
The team engaged in warm-ups and individual drills before transitioning into the heart of the scrimmage.
—Matt Murschel, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 Mar. 2025
The mood in the group was light, with Raducanu playing American football, football and cornhole during her warm-ups, and playing spikeball with her team just before going on court.
—Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
Marchand was greeted by plenty of fans around the ice during warm-ups and even flicked a puck into the stands toward one group to give them a keepsake.
—Tim Reynolds, Sun Sentinel, 28 Mar. 2025
Participants first had a warm-up session that included walking and jumping to minimize data variability caused by muscle stiffness or unfamiliarity with the equipment.
—New Atlas, 27 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for warm (up)
Recent Examples of Synonyms for warm (up)
Verb
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The traffic alert was reported Tuesday at 5:02 p.m., and the last update concerning this incident was provided on Tuesday at 5:08 p.m.—
Kansas City Star Bot,
Kansas City Star,
9 Apr. 2025
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His lawyers say the charges against him are baseless, and say officials have not provided any evidence to support them.—
Adrian Florido,
NPR,
8 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Image Lacking indoor plumbing, the family basked in this sauna as a prelude to bathing in the cold lake.—
Julie Lasky,
New York Times,
4 Apr. 2025
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At one point, during our game, my mother-in-law said that dominoes could be used to speak to the dead, a comment that had no prelude and which received no verbal response from anyone at the table.—
Hazlitt,
Hazlitt,
2 Apr. 2025
Verb
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In South Australia, solar, wind and batteries supply about 75% of the state’s electricity, and the goal is 100% by 2027.—
Ian Dexter Palmer,
Forbes.com,
14 Apr. 2025
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Tending the garden: Canada supplies nearly 10% of the U.S. nitrogen fertilizer needs, accounting for 25% of nitrogen fertilizer imports.—
Brayden Garcia,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
13 Apr. 2025
Noun
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While the diving kicked off Thursday, the swimming gets underway with preliminaries on Friday, with the finals for both swimming and diving slated for Saturday.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
6 Mar. 2025
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Her six-game outburst in the state preliminaries screamed of consistency, with no score lower than 217 and none higher than 269.—
Jeff Vorva,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The bar is the perfect hangout space and is furnished with a small refrigerator-freezer, cabinetry, countertops, storage and a wet bar.—
Karen A. Avitabile,
Hartford Courant,
16 Mar. 2025
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Maximize Outdoor Space Because the front porch gets used as an outdoor living room when the weather cooperates, it should be furnished as comfortably as the indoor version.—
Amy Panos,
Better Homes & Gardens,
15 Mar. 2025
Verb
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But the Yankees hope they are equipped to survive both losses with a deeper, more balanced roster than the one that went to the World Series last year.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
24 Mar. 2025
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The rifles should be equipped with semi-automatic firing capability, for use in all environments, as per the RFI.—
Abhishek Bhardwaj,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Mar. 2025
Verb
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If we were also armed with an atomic bomb, Trump would not dare threaten bombing.—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2025
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The son’s friend, armed with a legal firearm, tried to intervene and eventually shot the father dead, officials said.—
Paloma Chavez,
Miami Herald,
28 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Don't show up and ask someone there to educate you.—
Louryn Strampe,
Wired News,
9 Apr. 2025
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The Charlotte Observer spoke to Chris Hayes, an extension associate of structural pest management at NC State University who specializes educating the pest management industry on critter habits, to find out.—
Evan Moore,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Warm (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/warm%20%28up%29. Accessed 19 Apr. 2025.
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