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
Alora Bopray, USA Today, 6 Jan. 2026
This serum is ideal for anyone looking to target premature and preexisting signs of skin aging.
—Tracy Achonwa, Vogue, 20 Nov. 2025
Like many other large businesses, J.M. Smucker also likely benefits from its scale and resources by using preexisting relationships with retailers to get products into stores across the country.
—Tom Huddleston Jr., CNBC, 11 Nov. 2025
Few people want to watch a topical show that’s not aligned with their preexisting political beliefs.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 18 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for preexisting
Adjective
Cinch also covers unknown preexisting conditions, which many competitors exclude.
—Alora Bopray, USA Today, 6 Jan. 2026
This serum is ideal for anyone looking to target premature and preexisting signs of skin aging.
—Tracy Achonwa, Vogue, 20 Nov. 2025
Like many other large businesses, J.M. Smucker also likely benefits from its scale and resources by using preexisting relationships with retailers to get products into stores across the country.
—Tom Huddleston Jr., CNBC, 11 Nov. 2025
Few people want to watch a topical show that’s not aligned with their preexisting political beliefs.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 18 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for preexisting
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preexisting
Adjective
-
Production began in November 2025 in Cape Town, South Africa, where previous seasons were also filmed.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
17 Mar. 2026
-
For months when the first day of a month falls on a weekend or holiday, these payments are issued on the last business day of the previous month, like March’s payment.—
Asher Notheis,
The Washington Examiner,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Over the preceding years, Bennett had come to question the medical reasoning behind her three prior C-sections.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
16 Mar. 2026
-
The murders magnified the terror and sorrow emanating from thousands of anti-Asian attacks arising in the months preceding.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
16 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Even when Disney brought back Ortega for their Descendants franchise in 2015 — a film about the children of Disney villains — IP took precedent time and time again above the story.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
24 Jan. 2026
-
That’s because precedent changes in small but important ways all the time.—
Sonja Sharp,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
They were not required to enter a plea at an initial court appearance Monday and were ordered held without bail.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
13 Mar. 2026
-
But the initial boost to stocks of Archer, BETA, and rival Joby Aviation was short-lived.—
Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson,
semafor.com,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Some of this is inevitable — the original cadre of settlers who remember fleeing to the island with the hope of retaking the mainland has all but died off.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
13 Mar. 2026
-
After all, orchestrating pre-arranged scores is far easier than composing original music from scratch.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Preexisting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preexisting. Accessed 20 Mar. 2026.
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