1
as in forerunner
one that announces or indicates the later arrival of another
18th-century lyric poets like Robert Burns were precursors of the Romantics
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in ancestor
something belonging to an earlier time from which something else was later developed
a precursor of the modern eggplant
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of precursor
One persistent theory was that plants produce these compounds passively, through oxidation of more common precursor chemicals, or that these plants partner with bacteria to produce their stenches.
—
Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 8 May 2025
Complicating matters more is the fact that many of the precursor chemicals are also used to make legal pharmaceutical drugs.
—David Pierson, New York Times, 3 May 2025
Passionate about utopian socialism and architecture, Gaudí’s forms and shapes were totally fresh, otherworldly and are sometimes referred to as a precursor of the Surrealist movement, of which Salvator Dalí was a key proponent.
—Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 8 May 2025
Key Ingredients: Pre-retinol (retinol precursor), sunflower oil, wintergreen extract, hibiscus flower extract, christophine extract, water lily extract
Best For: Rejuvenating tired, aging skin by brightening and evening out skin tone for a smoother, more radiant complexion.
—Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 6 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for precursor
Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 8 May 2025
Complicating matters more is the fact that many of the precursor chemicals are also used to make legal pharmaceutical drugs.
—David Pierson, New York Times, 3 May 2025
Passionate about utopian socialism and architecture, Gaudí’s forms and shapes were totally fresh, otherworldly and are sometimes referred to as a precursor of the Surrealist movement, of which Salvator Dalí was a key proponent.
—Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 8 May 2025
Key Ingredients: Pre-retinol (retinol precursor), sunflower oil, wintergreen extract, hibiscus flower extract, christophine extract, water lily extract
Best For: Rejuvenating tired, aging skin by brightening and evening out skin tone for a smoother, more radiant complexion.
—Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 6 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for precursor
Recent Examples of Synonyms for precursor
Noun
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Military training was also a non-starter, since the U.S. Army Air Service (a forerunner to the Air Force) did not accept women.—
Victor Luckerson,
Smithsonian Magazine,
13 May 2025
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It has been said that Nomad was the forerunner of all modern station wagons.—
David Krumboltz,
Mercury News,
27 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Florentine society had changed a good deal since the days of their illustrious ancestor; noble blood had in fact become something of a liability.—
The Editors,
JSTOR Daily,
29 May 2025
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The banjo itself was invented by our ancestors to bring us together as a spiritual community, stretching from those long gone, all the way to those who haven’t been born yet.—
Essence,
Essence,
29 May 2025
Noun
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So the fact that Xbox games are now free to land on any platform might be a harbinger of things to come, and this could give Microsoft a foundational head-start in the race toward a different future.—
Mitch Wallace,
Forbes.com,
14 May 2025
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As the United States withdraws and international institutions decay, their ordeal may be a harbinger of what is to come.—
Lynsey Addario,
The Atlantic,
12 May 2025
Noun
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Early pregnancy symptoms can be intense as the body undergoes a huge transformation, with a surge in hormones often leading to fatigue, breathlessness and nausea.—
Jenni Reid,
CNBC,
5 June 2025
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Beginning in February, hundreds of dolphins and sea lions started washing up on California beaches, either dead or suffering neurotoxin poisoning symptoms such as aggression, lethargy and seizures.—
Corinne Purtill,
Los Angeles Times,
5 June 2025
Noun
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Like the Marvel comics, Shalla-Bal is the herald of Galactus, a planet-devouring behemoth who is voiced by Ralph Ineson in the movie.—
Jordan Moreau,
Variety,
24 Apr. 2025
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In the original comics, the Silver Surfer was Norrin Radd, a male astronomer from the planet Zenn-La who became the herald of Galactus.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Discovery come just a day after a rare shareholder rebuke of its executive pay packages, a sign of growing unhappiness with the company’s financial performance.—
Stephen Battaglio,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2025
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The inspector also cited four separate hand-washing violations, including sinks without soap or paper towels, one lacking a required sign and another used to store a sanitizer bucket.—
Zach Everson,
Forbes.com,
4 June 2025
Noun
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Muslims believe that as Abraham was about to sacrifice his son, an angel of God stopped him and gave him a ram to sacrifice in place of his son.—
Monica Haider,
CNN Money,
6 June 2025
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Signature brand pieces include amulets, angels, royal blue moonstones and more.—
Fairchild Studio,
Footwear News,
6 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Precursor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/precursor. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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