1. coming before the main part of something; introductory or preparatory

1. an action or event that comes before and prepares for something more important
Usage: often used in plural

Examples

• The preliminary results show a close race between the candidates.
• We need to complete the preliminary paperwork before the interview.
• The preliminary investigation revealed several important clues.
• After the preliminaries, the main speaker took the stage.
• The preliminary round eliminates half the contestants.
• Let’s skip the preliminaries and get straight to business.
• The preliminary budget estimates were higher than expected.