1
as in precursor
one that announces or indicates the later arrival of another
the return of the swallows is traditionally regarded as a forerunner of spring
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in ancestor
something belonging to an earlier time from which something else was later developed
enjoyed the demonstration of the simple hand loom that was the forerunner of today's computer-controlled looms
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of forerunner
According to Hall, Minute Man was a forerunner in a number of fast-food concepts.
—
Mike Keckhaver), arkansasonline.com, 11 Jan. 2025
Ditka, 6 foot 3 and 230 pounds, was a forerunner to the 6-4, 230-pound Bowers.
—Mike Sando, The Athletic, 30 Dec. 2024
Punk and Emo, the forerunners of today’s worm-mollusks, lived on the dark seafloor amid gardens of sponges, nearly 200 million years before the first dinosaurs emerged on land.
—Kate Golembiewski, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2025
The company's North American forerunner, Chrysler, has been left for dead repeatedly over the decades, only to emerge with hit products like minivans in the 1980s and the Dodge Ram pickup in the 1990s.
—Joel Mathis, theweek, 17 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for forerunner
Mike Keckhaver), arkansasonline.com, 11 Jan. 2025
Ditka, 6 foot 3 and 230 pounds, was a forerunner to the 6-4, 230-pound Bowers.
—Mike Sando, The Athletic, 30 Dec. 2024
Punk and Emo, the forerunners of today’s worm-mollusks, lived on the dark seafloor amid gardens of sponges, nearly 200 million years before the first dinosaurs emerged on land.
—Kate Golembiewski, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2025
The company's North American forerunner, Chrysler, has been left for dead repeatedly over the decades, only to emerge with hit products like minivans in the 1980s and the Dodge Ram pickup in the 1990s.
—Joel Mathis, theweek, 17 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for forerunner
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forerunner
Noun
-
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
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One of Sinaloa’s most lucrative businesses in recent years has been the production of fentanyl, blamed for tens of thousands of overdose deaths each year in the U.S. Sinaloa imports the precursor chemicals from China, produces the drug and then smuggles it across the border.—
Ellen Knickmeyer and Maria Verza,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Feb. 2025
Noun
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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
-
Because of this, many scientists believed that early and classic Neanderthals had a lower genetic diversity than their pre-Neanderthal ancestors.—
Discover Magazine,
Discover Magazine,
21 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
While big investments to mitigate climate change have been made by both Congress and the Minnesota Legislature, environmentalists continue sounding the alarm and point to this toasty winter as a harbinger of things to come should no further action be taken on that front.—
Mohamaed Ibrahim,
Twin Cities,
6 Feb. 2025
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But both contenders prove to be imperfect harbingers of progress.—
Michael Schulman,
The New Yorker,
6 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The prototype, which bears more than a passing resemblance to a concept the motorsports organization showed off last year, features a tri-motor powertrain that makes over 1,300 hp.—
Bryan Hood,
Robb Report,
14 Feb. 2025
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The second prototype, value material royalties, simply places value over product in novel ways, while the third solution explores circular fashion hubs.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Sourcing Journal,
6 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach star as the titular quartet, heroes who must defend the Earth against Galactus (Ralph Ineson), a ravenous space god who's hungry to devour the entire planet with the help of his herald, the Silver Surfer (Julia Garner).—
Shania Russell,
EW.com,
18 Feb. 2025
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In Turkey and the Middle East, the birds crop up in folklore as heralds of spring, guides for pilgrims, and the first creatures, along with two doves, to disembark from Noah’s ark.—
Nick Paumgarten,
The New Yorker,
10 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Researchers see the trend as a sign of financial instability among older Americans.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA TODAY,
16 Feb. 2025
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The cost of winning Bregman is the clearest sign thus far that the Red Sox are completing a circle of their own, getting back to being the type of franchise that prioritizes winning.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
16 Feb. 2025
Noun
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This organizer comes in three stylish colors to choose from: avocado green, angel white, and olive green.—
Caley Sturgill,
Southern Living,
18 Feb. 2025
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Sheila’s chambers were decorated with pictures and figurines of angels.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Forerunner.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forerunner. Accessed 1 Mar. 2025.
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