as in previous
going before another in time or order
I'd like to follow up on an antecedent question from another reporter
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in cause
someone or something responsible for a result
what are the antecedents of the American Revolutionary War?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in forerunner
something belonging to an earlier time from which something else was later developed
the typewriter is the antecedent of the computer keyboard
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of antecedent
Hakan Karaosman, Sourcing Journal, 17 Oct. 2024
Relaxed high-altitude winds, the spreading of air aloft and the presence of an antecedent tropical wave all made for the formation of a hurricane — but record-warm water temperatures, reminiscent of September, helped transform the storm into a top-tier tempest.
—Amanda Coletta, Washington Post, 2 July 2024
airmail.news, 20 July 2024
Musicians borrow from the antecedents of people who have created and struggled, and that’s just being fed into new genres and reinterpreted into new ways of listening and enjoying music.
—Chris Klimek, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for antecedent
Adjective
Responsible purchasing is antecedent to fair and equitable decarbonization in the supply chain.
—Hakan Karaosman, Sourcing Journal, 17 Oct. 2024
Relaxed high-altitude winds, the spreading of air aloft and the presence of an antecedent tropical wave all made for the formation of a hurricane — but record-warm water temperatures, reminiscent of September, helped transform the storm into a top-tier tempest.
—Amanda Coletta, Washington Post, 2 July 2024
Noun
Chinatown is very much in argument with the style and structure of its antecedents, manifestly not the neo-noir it is often said to be.
—airmail.news, 20 July 2024
Musicians borrow from the antecedents of people who have created and struggled, and that’s just being fed into new genres and reinterpreted into new ways of listening and enjoying music.
—Chris Klimek, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for antecedent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for antecedent
Adjective
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When Zelensky challenged Vance's call for diplomacy by citing Russia's violations of previous agreements, tensions escalated further.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
2 Mar. 2025
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Congress has also supported a pay increase in previous legislation.—
Kevin Freking,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Chile's interior minister Carolina Toha said the outage was caused by a transmission line failure in the country's north, ruling out a cyber attack as a cause.—
Fabian Cambero and Alexander Villegas,
USA TODAY,
26 Feb. 2025
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The school board fired Martinez on Dec. 20 without cause, and just a few days later, several of those same board members attended ongoing teachers contract negotiations.—
Nell Salzman,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Equally, it was never considered by bid organizers to be a forerunner in bids to host the 2022 and 2026 men’s World Cup, the latter of which was successful and will be shared next year with Canada and Mexico.—
Adam Crafton,
The Athletic,
6 Feb. 2025
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While Cal State Fullerton isn’t the first campus to launch a Project Rebound program, the university has been among the forerunners in its expansion, becoming a model for Project Rebound programs at the other universities in the CSU system.—
Lou Ponsi,
Orange County Register,
28 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Then the fire last month destroyed nearly everything inside the house: the handwritten letters from Ms. Edmiston’s father, who was once the mayor of Beverly Hills; a tin menorah that her ancestors brought from Russia and Poland; and, of course, nearly all the cookie jars.—
Corina Knoll,
New York Times,
22 Feb. 2025
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Read on for how to watch 1923 online for free to see the Yellowstone spinoff about John Dutton’s ancestors.—
Jason Pham,
StyleCaster,
21 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Since the inception of the SAG Awards in 1994, only six actors have won the Oscar with SAG as their sole major precursor — and none of them were in lead actor.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
20 Feb. 2025
-
Such a filing is typically a precursor to a lawsuit.—
Marlene Lenthang,
NBC News,
19 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The exchange between Trump and Zelensky marked a dramatic shift in the relationship between two nations that had been close allies under Trump's predecessor, Joe Biden.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
20 Feb. 2025
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The comments from Trump and Zelenskyy were a staggering back-and-forth between leaders of two countries that have been staunch allies in recent years under Trump’s predecessor.—
Hanna Arhirova,
Chicago Tribune,
19 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Antecedent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/antecedent. Accessed 5 Mar. 2025.
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