Before we begin, a number of preliminary remarks are in order.
Source: tatoeba (1528625)
Preliminary
/pɹɪˈlɪmɪn(ə)ɹi/
Synonyms for "preliminary" (322 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (65)
advanceadvancedantecedentanteriorarrangementavant gardeavant-gardeavant-proposbasic trainingbeginningbreakthroughbriefingchiefclearing the deckscoming outcurtain raiserdebutelementaryembarkationembarkment
Show 4 more words
Noun(22 words)
article draftbackground sectionbaseline assessmentbaseline testbaseline valuebasic greedy methodbeginner portuguese vocabularybetaconceptual model sketchdraftdraft a paragraphdraft a scriptdraft diagramdraft minutesdraft plandraft reportdraftingdryearly cultural revolutionentry level course
Show 2 more words
experimental conditionexperimental cycle
Adjective(18 words)
Verb(1 words)
Strong matches (96)
Adjective(35 words)
experimental dataexperimental datasetexperimental evidencesexperimental network dataexperimental outcomeexperimental physicistsexperimental resultexperimental signalexperimental trialexploratoryfoundational chemistryfoundational skillhazierinchoateincipientincompleteincomplete workinitialinitial capital fundinginitial date
Show 15 more words
initial draftinitial process stateinitial stageinterlocutoryintroductionintroductoryintroductory lessonintroductory physics classintroductory physics courseintroductory physics problemintroductory sessionnonbinding agreementopening steppartial energy budgetpending
exploratoryfamiliarizationfirstfirst appearancefixingfloatingflotationforegoingforemostforerunningforewordfoundationfront matterfrontispiecegroundworkheadmostinauguralinaugural addressinaugurationinduction
Show 20 more words
Noun(16 words)
first courseforetastinggrabhesitatingheuristic reasoninginfantinitiatingintromore introductoryopening actopening ritualoverturephysical toy modelpilotpilot culture change planpilot educational innovation
Determiner(1 words)
first treatment
Adverb(1 words)
not based on evidence
Related words (161)
Noun(48 words)
pilot history lesson planpilot itempilot modelpilot programpilot project resultspilot rolloutpilot runpilot studypilot study reportpilot testplanning stepprechange conditionprefacingprelimpreludepreplanningpreproductionpreviewingprimary election processproblematic pattern
Show 28 more words
qualifyingqualifying term definitionraw materialsremain undecidedsample analysisscoutingseed capitalshakedownsignal cuesketch diagramskimmingsnapshot datastagingstaging areastarter potssteppingstonesurface level decodingsurface level understandingteasertesting samplethin slicetop-layertoytrial rununofficial paperunstandardized measurewireframe layoutwireframe model
Adjective(48 words)
pilot projectpilot unitpilotlikepractice qualifying examprelimspreparatorypreparatory drawingpreparatory materialpreparatory taskpresumptive diagnosispretrialprimary componentprimary language for learningprimary languagesprimary responseprimerprimitive operationprotoprovisionalprovisional diagnosis
Show 28 more words
qualifierqualifying conditionqualifying statementquick sketchrough draftrough draft languagerough sketchroundsample rubricscreening testsketchiersketchiestsketchystarterstarting blockstarting materialtentativetentative claimtentative conclusionunadjustedunclassified approachuncorroboratedunfinishedunfinished sketchunprovenunverified belief claimunverified claimunverified fact
planningpostulatepreambleprearrangementprecedenceprecedentprecedingprecessionalprecursoryprefaceprefatoryprefixprefixedprefixturepreliminariespreliminary actpreliminary steppreludepreludialprelusive
Show 38 more words
premisepremonitorypreppreparationpreparatorypreparatory studypreparingprepositivepreppingprerequisitepresuppositionpretreatmentprevenientpriorprocessingprodromalprodromeprodromicproemproemialprolegomenaprolegomenonprolepsisprologuepropaedeuticprotasisprovisionreadyingspadeworktrainingtreatmenttrialtryoutunveilingversevoluntarywarm upwarm-up
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: advance, advanced, antecedent, anterior, arrangement.
- Sentence evidence is available for preliminary, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from moby, derived_reverse, opengloss, wordnet, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "preliminary".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "preliminary"
Keep "preliminary" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "preliminary" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "preliminary", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "preliminary" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
13 entriesathletic competitionathletic contestathleticsdescriptorinceptioninstructionmaterialoriginoriginationphaseresourcestagestep
More specific
14 entriesCollocations
10 entriespreliminary analysispreliminary datapreliminary exampreliminary findingspreliminary planpreliminary readingpreliminary resultspreliminary roundpreliminary schedulepreliminary study
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
3 entriessimilar
2 entriesSample sentences
14 total sentences available.
He was first subjected to a preliminary test with the new electronic breathalyzer before he was sent for a laboratory test.
Source: tatoeba (3502177)
The City Council voted to grant one million for the preliminary engineering work on the new theater in Bergen.
Source: tatoeba (3515645)
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for October 20th.
Source: tatoeba (4499274)
Showing 4 of 14 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "preliminary"?
Closest matches include advance, advanced, antecedent, anterior, arrangement.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "preliminary"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.