as in previous
existing at an earlier time; existing before something else
The insurance does not cover preexisting medical conditions. They made changes to the preexisting law.
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Dissimilar Words
as in preceding
to go or come before in time
an advanced Mesoamerican civilization whose apex and collapse preexisted the arrival of Europeans by hundreds of years
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Recent Examples of preexisting
Susanne Rust, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026
For example, if a Medicare Advantage plan withdraws from a market or leaves the Medicare program, its enrollees can qualify for a supplemental plan without being asked health questions or charged more for having preexisting conditions.
—Julie Appleby, CBS News, 22 Apr. 2026
The employee, whose identity has not been revealed, had a preexisting medical issue and died, Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE.
—Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 17 Apr. 2026
City Manager James Reyes said the city has had preexisting plans to begin the recruitment process for Morales’ successor in the near future and that the transition process between chiefs is scheduled to begin three months ahead of Morales’ retirement.
—Miami Herald, 12 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for preexisting
Adjective
Most producers have preexisting contracts with plastic suppliers.
—Susanne Rust, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026
For example, if a Medicare Advantage plan withdraws from a market or leaves the Medicare program, its enrollees can qualify for a supplemental plan without being asked health questions or charged more for having preexisting conditions.
—Julie Appleby, CBS News, 22 Apr. 2026
The employee, whose identity has not been revealed, had a preexisting medical issue and died, Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE.
—Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 17 Apr. 2026
City Manager James Reyes said the city has had preexisting plans to begin the recruitment process for Morales’ successor in the near future and that the transition process between chiefs is scheduled to begin three months ahead of Morales’ retirement.
—Miami Herald, 12 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for preexisting
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preexisting
Adjective
-
Even before the pier collapse, the structure was looking at damage from a previous storm that would take $20 million to repair.—
John Ramos,
CBS News,
16 June 2026
-
Oyarzabal, who had registered 12 goals in his previous 11 games for Spain, had not touched the ball by the 30 minute mark.—
Pol Ballús,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
Verb
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The story came as a shock to the Danes—and to Bolton, who had spent the preceding weeks trying to figure out how to quietly warn the Danes himself.—
Ben Taub,
New Yorker,
15 June 2026
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The active region that produced the eruption had already generated several powerful flares in the preceding days, prompting scientists to keep multiple solar observatories focused on the area.—
Sharmila Kuthunur,
Space.com,
15 June 2026
Adjective
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Their protections may have been further eroded with a precedent decision recently in which the Board of Immigration Appeals determined that DACA status alone is not enough to stop deportation.—
Hallie Golden,
Los Angeles Times,
2 May 2026
-
These tools can generate a first-draft NDA within seconds by drawing on vast training libraries of precedent agreements and current market standards.—
AllBusiness,
Forbes.com,
18 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Elon Musk’s SpaceX — rocket manufacturer, satellite internet service provider, AI firm and owner of X (aka Twitter) all rolled into one — has officially set a record for the biggest IPO in history with its initial stock pricing.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
11 June 2026
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The programming follows the chefs from initial concept and ingredient sourcing through recipe development and testing, offering passengers a behind-the-scenes look at how the meals came together.—
Samantha Leal,
Travel + Leisure,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
The closure was prompted caused by increasing costs and the death of the original owner Mansour Yaghoubian, his son, Edmond Yaghoubian, told The Bee.—
Emma Hall,
Sacbee.com,
11 June 2026
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She was seen holding a VHS copy of the original Toy Story, signed by members of the cast.—
Catherine Santino,
PEOPLE,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Preexisting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preexisting. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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