as in forerunners
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 predecessors
The Crew-12 mission was bumped up a few days so the astronauts can get to an understaffed space station after the mission's Crew-11 predecessors were medically evacuated in mid-January.
—
Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 9 Feb. 2026
Pritzkau has been on the camp scene for years, learning from his predecessors in the early stages.
—Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Feb. 2026
Unlike its predecessors, however, 3I/ATLAS put on an extended chemical show that SPHEREx was uniquely equipped to observe.
—Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 6 Feb. 2026
Also, Doug Pederson and Matt Nagy, Bieniemy’s predecessors under Reid with the Chiefs, later became head coaches.
—Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 6 Feb. 2026
While the new building does not boast more gallery space than its predecessors — a point of public contention — Govan said that was never the plan due to county size regulations.
—Malia Mendez, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2026
There can be no doubt that today’s new ICE recruits are less physically fit, that agents are receiving roughly half the training that their predecessors received, and that educational standards have been lowered.
—Paul Rosenzweig, The Atlantic, 4 Feb. 2026
Jackson’s use of veto power also distinguished him from his predecessors.
—Mikayla Bunnell, Hartford Courant, 3 Feb. 2026
None of his predecessors has lasted more than six seasons, and only one (Bruce Arians) left with a winning record.
—Doug Haller, New York Times, 1 Feb. 2026
Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 9 Feb. 2026
Pritzkau has been on the camp scene for years, learning from his predecessors in the early stages.
—Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Feb. 2026
Unlike its predecessors, however, 3I/ATLAS put on an extended chemical show that SPHEREx was uniquely equipped to observe.
—Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 6 Feb. 2026
Also, Doug Pederson and Matt Nagy, Bieniemy’s predecessors under Reid with the Chiefs, later became head coaches.
—Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 6 Feb. 2026
While the new building does not boast more gallery space than its predecessors — a point of public contention — Govan said that was never the plan due to county size regulations.
—Malia Mendez, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2026
There can be no doubt that today’s new ICE recruits are less physically fit, that agents are receiving roughly half the training that their predecessors received, and that educational standards have been lowered.
—Paul Rosenzweig, The Atlantic, 4 Feb. 2026
Jackson’s use of veto power also distinguished him from his predecessors.
—Mikayla Bunnell, Hartford Courant, 3 Feb. 2026
None of his predecessors has lasted more than six seasons, and only one (Bruce Arians) left with a winning record.
—Doug Haller, New York Times, 1 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for predecessors
Noun
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With little support for the WHO among Republicans — who control both the House and the Senate — there has been no push from Congress to hold the country to the provision set out by their forerunners.—
Helen Branswell,
STAT,
21 Jan. 2026
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Like these forerunners, the pleasures of Knight’s A Thousand Blows, which premiered all six episodes of its second season on Hulu Friday, lies in looking back on that thin sliver of time, about 15 years ago, when anachronistic old-timey crime was in vogue.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Connie Martin always knew who her ancestors were growing up.—
Carolyn Stein,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Feb. 2026
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Some of those ancestors left Africa to explore Europe.—
Ari Daniel,
NPR,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The Dow is older than the S&P 500, which was established in 1957 (though precursors had existed since 1928) and the Nasdaq Composite, which was established in 1971.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
6 Feb. 2026
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Thiel’s claim climate policy and global cooperation are precursors to a one‑world dictatorship ignores how such policies actually work.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
4 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Predecessors.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/predecessors. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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