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Showing results for curtain raiser.
Definitions

curtain raiser

NOUN
short preliminary event
Synonyms
STRONGEST
lead-in warmup
WEAK
countdown curtain lifter curtain warmer inaugural kickoff opener opening gun opening shot preliminary preview run-up walk-up

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

After the women opened the season on Saturday with their giant slalom on the Austrian glacier, the men battled poor visibility and welcome wintry weather in their traditional curtain raiser.

From Barron's • Oct. 26, 2025

The Women's Super League returns for the 2023-24 season on Sunday, with Aston Villa hosting Manchester United in the curtain raiser at Villa Park.

From BBC • Sep. 27, 2023

It’s an apt curtain raiser for a 1994-95 season in which newness and sameness glom together indistinguishably, but “thirtysomething” glistened from its inception with a seductive uniqueness that this latest series does not initially share.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 24, 2022

It’s also a symbolic curtain raiser for the postponed Olympics, and there is no room for error.

From Washington Times • Mar. 16, 2021

It had placed Archie at a disadvantage for the first time as assigner because Rollo had only been the curtain raiser, a bit of amusement Obie had arranged to enliven the proceedings.

From "The Chocolate War" by Robert Cormier