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
Before the Papacy As pope, he was noted to have an openness to his decision-making that differed from his papal predecessors.
—
Olivia B. Waxman, Time, 21 Apr. 2025
The difference between van der Heyden and his predecessors is that his work is all aboveboard.
—John Semley, Rolling Stone, 19 Apr. 2025
Knauf joined Earthshot as CEO immediately and will work with his predecessor in the coming months of transition.
—Janine Henni, People.com, 17 Apr. 2025
Smith, though, applies the moniker more readily to his predecessors who ventured heroically into the relative unknown.
—Julia Boatman, Robb Report, 12 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for predecessor
Olivia B. Waxman, Time, 21 Apr. 2025
The difference between van der Heyden and his predecessors is that his work is all aboveboard.
—John Semley, Rolling Stone, 19 Apr. 2025
Knauf joined Earthshot as CEO immediately and will work with his predecessor in the coming months of transition.
—Janine Henni, People.com, 17 Apr. 2025
Smith, though, applies the moniker more readily to his predecessors who ventured heroically into the relative unknown.
—Julia Boatman, Robb Report, 12 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for predecessor
Recent Examples of Synonyms for predecessor
Noun
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Indeed, VistaVision was the forerunner of IMAX 65mm, with its horizontal orientation.—
Bill Desowitz,
IndieWire,
21 Apr. 2025
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The company plans to recreate the mammoth, dodo, and Tasmanian tiger, or thylacine, by editing the genome of each species’ closest living relative to make a hybrid animal that would be visually indistinguishable from its extinct forerunner.—
Katie Hunt,
CNN,
4 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Like all Guna, Lisa’s ancestors were not native island dwellers.—
Mark Johanson,
AFAR Media,
22 Apr. 2025
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Water bottle The modern-day source of water for many people—their water bottle—may be just as germ-filled as our ancient ancestors’ go-to watering hole.—
Matt Fuchs,
Time,
21 Apr. 2025
Noun
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CSAs have often been precursors to broader agreements among countries.—
Ngaire Woods,
Foreign Affairs,
22 Apr. 2025
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Many people at Saturday’s protest worried that the ruling could be the precursor to other judgments that diminish the rights of transgender people.—
Kwiyeon Ha and Pan Pylas,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Predecessor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/predecessor. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.
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