preliminaries

IPA/prɪˈlɪm.ɪ.nər.i/
KK[prɪlˈɪmənˌɛriz]IPA/prɪˈlɪm.ə.ner.i/

preliminaries — adjective

  • preliminariespositive
  • more preliminariescomparative
  • most preliminariessuperlative

1. happening or done before a main activity or event, often as a way of preparing f

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

happening or done before a main activity or event, often as a way of preparing for what comes next.

Example

The teams played several preliminary rounds before reaching the final tournament.

collocation: preliminary rounds

Kabir shared the preliminary findings of his research with the lab team on Friday.

collocation: preliminary findings

Common collocations
  • preliminary round
  • preliminary results
  • preliminary findings
  • preliminary investigation
  • preliminary discussion
  • preliminary hearing
  • preliminary stage
  • preliminary report
Synonyms
  • initial

    focuses on the first stage of a sequence; less specific about preparation

  • introductory

    emphasises introducing a topic rather than preparing for an event

  • tentative

    stresses that results may change, whereas 'preliminary' stresses they come before something more complete

Antonyms
  • final

    the last or definitive stage, opposite of the preparatory early stage

  • conclusive

    proving something beyond doubt; opposite of tentative or incomplete

Grammar Patterns

preliminary + noun

Usage Note

Attributive use (before a noun) is the standard pattern for this sense. Predicative use (e.g. "The results are preliminary") is also common in formal or technical contexts.

Common Mistakes

We held a preliminary meeting which was preliminary.
We held a preliminary meeting before the main conference.
do not repeat 'preliminary' in the same clause; use it only once to describe the preparatory stage.

preliminaries — noun

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All five words describe things that come before a main event, but they differ in scope and function. 'Preparation' is the broadest — it covers any actions taken to get ready (booking a venue, writing notes, gathering materials). 'Introduction' focuses on the opening part of a speech, book, or event that presents what follows. 'Preamble' is narrower still, referring specifically to the introductory remarks in a formal document, speech, or meeting — often legal or political in tone. 'Prelude' suggests a artistic or musical opening that sets the mood for what follows, like the prelude to a symphony or a dramatic event. 'Groundwork' emphasises the essential foundational work that makes later success possible. For example: 'The team did months of preparation before launching the product' — here 'preliminaries' would sound odd because it implies a fixed sequence of steps, not sustained effort.

preparation ↗introduction ↗preamblepreludegroundwork ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

  • merely preliminary
  • still preliminary
  • only preliminary

Phrases

  • go through the preliminaries
  • dispense with the preliminaries
  • after the usual preliminaries

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinEnglish

From Latin 'praeliminaris', made up of 'prae-' (meaning before) and 'limen' (meaning threshold). The idea is something that happens 'before the threshold' — the steps you take before crossing into the main event or action. The word entered English in the mid-1600s, first as an adjective and later as a noun.

First known use

1657

1657, in the meaning defined above Noun