as in forerunner
something belonging to an earlier time from which something else was later developed
the once-ubiquitous typewriter was the predecessor of today's electronic keyboard
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Recent Examples of predecessor
His wave of Day 1 signings wasn't unusual — his predecessor issued more than a dozen executive actions on his first day in the White House — and neither are Mr. Trump's unilateral efforts to change policy.
—
Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 24 Jan. 2025
In Cleveland, Grant also worked under ex-Patriots offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt and alongside his predecessor, T.C. McCartney, who coached tight ends before moving to quarterbacks.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 24 Jan. 2025
This week, Handmade 2 made its debut and boasts a 1% higher handmade percentage than its predecessor.
—Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 24 Jan. 2025
After his inauguration on Monday, President Trump signed a slew of executive orders reversing policies instituted by his predecessor Joe Biden, such as commitments to fight climate change.
—Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 23 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for predecessor 
Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 24 Jan. 2025
In Cleveland, Grant also worked under ex-Patriots offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt and alongside his predecessor, T.C. McCartney, who coached tight ends before moving to quarterbacks.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 24 Jan. 2025
This week, Handmade 2 made its debut and boasts a 1% higher handmade percentage than its predecessor.
—Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 24 Jan. 2025
After his inauguration on Monday, President Trump signed a slew of executive orders reversing policies instituted by his predecessor Joe Biden, such as commitments to fight climate change.
—Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 23 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for predecessor
Recent Examples of Synonyms for predecessor
Noun
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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
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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
Noun
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This year’s theme — A Whole Harvest Dining Experience — will involve meals that use an entire plant, as the ancestors of today’s Black chefs did.—
Heidi Finley,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Jan. 2025
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During the Lunar New Year period, families and loved ones gather to eat traditional holiday foods and pay their respects to their ancestors.—
Brett Tingley,
Space.com,
29 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Starring Andre Braugher, Yaphet Kotto and Melissa Leo, Homicide ran for more than 100 episodes and seven seasons in the 1990s and is considered by many to be a precursor to Simon’s The Wire.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
28 Jan. 2025
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This track is a precursor to a series of new releases planned for early 2025, signaling a year of growth and exploration for Sanders.—
Ethan Stone,
USA TODAY,
28 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near predecessor
Cite this Entry
“Predecessor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/predecessor. Accessed 2 Feb. 2025.
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