Word
preliminary
Phoneticspre·lim·i·nary
US/pɹiˈɫɪməˌnɛɹi/
UK/pɹɪlˈɪmɪnəɹi/
Definitions
01preparatory
B2 · Upper Intermediate Academic
adj. happening before a more important action or event to prepare for it.
adj. preceding and leading up to the main part, matter, or business; introductory in nature.
“The doctors shared the preliminary results of the tests with the family.”
“After a preliminary investigation, the committee concluded that there was sufficient evidence to warrant a full-scale inquiry into the department's finances.”
Usage
Commonly used in academic and professional contexts to describe data, research, or meetings.
Synonyms
Antonyms
02introductory step
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Formal
n. an action or event that is done as a preparation for something more important.
n. an initial step, measure, or statement that serves as an introduction to a main subject or event.
“Once the preliminaries were over, the two leaders began their private meeting.”
“The legal team spent months dealing with the necessary preliminaries before the actual trial could begin in the High Court.”
Usage
Often used in the plural form 'preliminaries' to refer to introductory remarks or administrative steps.
Synonyms
Antonyms
03qualifying round
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Sports
n. an early round of a competition that decides who will go into the final.
n. an initial round or heat in a sporting competition, the results of which determine the participants for the final stages.
“She performed well in the preliminaries and easily made it to the final race.”
“The young sprinter surprised the scouts by breaking the national record during the preliminaries, long before the medal rounds had even started.”
Antonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “preliminary” in context.
Adjective
01. preliminary analysis
“A preliminary analysis of the soil samples suggests the presence of rare minerals.”
adj + noun
02. preliminary data
“The researchers released preliminary data to encourage further investigation by the community.”
adj + noun
03. preliminary finding
“The team's preliminary finding indicates that the new drug may be effective against the virus.”
adj + noun
04. preliminary observation
“Based on my preliminary observation, the software seems to struggle with high-resolution files.”
adj + noun
05. preliminary report
“The committee will issue a preliminary report before the final decision is made in December.”
adj + noun
06. preliminary result
“Preliminary results from the election suggest a much tighter race than pollsters predicted.”
adj + noun
07. preliminary study
“We conducted a preliminary study to determine if a full-scale project was financially viable.”
adj + noun
08. preliminary work
“Most of the preliminary work has been completed, so construction can begin next week.”
adj + noun
09. objective preliminary
Real-World Examples
“The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said in a preliminary report that about 37 percent of the fracture surface on the failed blade showed features consistent with fatigue.” “A preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) found an engine fan blade broke off shortly after takeoff on the 10 July flight from Greece to Germany.” “The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) wrote in a preliminary report that this happened after an engine fan blade broke shortly after takeoff on the 10 July flight from Greece to Germany.” “It comes after an incident last week in which its Phuket to Delhi flight suddenly lost altitude, with a preliminary report saying the senior pilot had to retake their substance test.” Etymology
Borrowed from New Latin praelīmināris, formed from prae- (“before”) + līmen (“threshold”) + -āris (adjectival suffix); compare Latin līmināris (“of or belonging to a threshold”). Compare French préliminaire.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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