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
In 2020, a Black Lives Matter mob had set fire to the condominium complex of Wilson’s predecessor, former Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler, despite his attempts to appease the movement’s demands.
—
Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 7 Feb. 2026
Holland’s predecessor Rob Blake passed on an extension.
—Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 7 Feb. 2026
Nathan Chen, Malinin’s quad royalty predecessor who landed five quad jumps to win the 2022 Olympics, was training in the quad axel ahead of the Beijing Games.
—Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2026
Its predecessor, the model 406, using the tried-and-true Bristol inline-six engine, was relatively heavy and thus underpowered, and so for the 407 and subsequent models, Chrysler V-8 engines became the power plant of choice.
—Robert Ross, Robb Report, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for predecessor
Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 7 Feb. 2026
Holland’s predecessor Rob Blake passed on an extension.
—Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 7 Feb. 2026
Nathan Chen, Malinin’s quad royalty predecessor who landed five quad jumps to win the 2022 Olympics, was training in the quad axel ahead of the Beijing Games.
—Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2026
Its predecessor, the model 406, using the tried-and-true Bristol inline-six engine, was relatively heavy and thus underpowered, and so for the 407 and subsequent models, Chrysler V-8 engines became the power plant of choice.
—Robert Ross, Robb Report, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for predecessor
Recent Examples of Synonyms for predecessor
Noun
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Sheila Bridges also comes to mind as such a forerunner for our community, embracing the beauty of our heritage and culture.—
Ashley Chalmers,
The Spruce,
11 Feb. 2026
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The forerunner of British Invasion took the summit of American entertainment, which was a huge deal across generations.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
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But now, a series of tea parties with an ape named Kanzi suggests some of our closest ancestors may have this ability too.—
Suzanne Nuyen,
NPR,
11 Feb. 2026
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The findings also suggest that herbivory evolved independently in several different groups of early land vertebrates, not just in the ancestors of modern reptiles.—
Lily Hautau,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Commercial prediction markets have resisted efforts by states to classify and regulate them as gambling companies, insisting that they — like their precursor in Iowa — should be overseen by federal regulators.—
Suzy Khimm,
NBC news,
13 Feb. 2026
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There’s a direct line from Licklider’s work to ARPANET, a precursor to the internet and World Wide Web, through the work of Robert Taylor, Doug Engelbart, Ted Nelson, and Tim Berners-Lee.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Predecessor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/predecessor. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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