preliminary

Done first to prepare for something more important, or happening before final information is available.

• These are preliminary results.
• We held a preliminary meeting before starting the project.
• The preliminary tests showed no serious problems.

Similar words: initial, preparatory, introductory

Opposites: final

Common phrases: preliminary results, preliminary discussion, preliminary investigation

Something done first to prepare for the main activity or event.

• Let us finish the preliminaries first.
• Checking the equipment is a necessary preliminary to the experiment.
• After a few brief preliminaries, the discussion began.

How to use it: a preliminary to something (This interview is a preliminary to the final selection.)

Similar words: preparation, preparatory step

Common phrases: necessary preliminary, preliminary to something, skip the preliminaries

Before something begins, usually as preparation for it.

• Preliminary to dinner, the host welcomed everyone.
• Preliminary to the discussions, each member introduced themselves.
• We exchanged documents preliminary to the negotiations.

How to use it: preliminary to something (Preliminary to the meeting, we checked the figures.)

Similar words: before, prior to

Opposites: after

Common phrases: preliminary to something, preliminary to discussions