forerunner

noun

fore·​run·​ner ˈfȯr-ˌrə-nər 

1

: one that precedes and indicates the approach of another: such as

a

: a premonitory sign or symptom

b

: a skier who runs the course before the start of a race

2

: predecessor, ancestor

Synonyms

• angel
• foregoer
• harbinger
• herald
• outrider
• precursor

Choose the Right Synonym for forerunner

forerunner, precursor, harbinger, herald mean one that goes before or announces the coming of another.

forerunner is applicable to anything that serves as a sign or presage.

the blockade was the forerunner of war

precursor applies to a person or thing paving the way for the success or accomplishment of another.

18th century poets like Burns were precursors of the Romantics

harbinger and herald both apply, chiefly figuratively, to one that proclaims or announces the coming or arrival of a notable event.

their early victory was the harbinger of a winning season

the herald of a new age in medicine

Examples of forerunner in a Sentence

a simple machine that was the forerunner of today's computers

I had that strange feeling that's the forerunner of a cold.

Recent Examples on the Web

These projects breathed new life into the U.S. conservation movement, the forerunner of today’s climate activism. —Pavlina R. Tcherneva, Foreign Affairs, 22 July 2020

Embrace change, become a forerunner and refuse to let emotional interference deter productivity. —Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 28 Oct. 2024

Some Latin American nations are now even forerunners in the global struggle for LGBT equality. —Omar G. Encarnación, Foreign Affairs, 11 Jan. 2016

Being a forerunner in your circle will put you in a good position and enable you to quickly field new possibilities, offering advantages. —Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 2 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

forerunner

noun

fore·​run·​ner -ˌrən-ər 

1

: one going or sent before to give notice of the approach of others : harbinger

2

: predecessor, ancestor