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
Burke, who’s worked at Vistra and its predecessor for 21 years, remains bullish on electric demand, with load growth diversified across industries.
—
Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 1 Mar. 2025
Francis’ predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, resigned in February 2013 – the first pope to do so in nearly 600 years.
—Brieanna J. Frank, USA TODAY, 28 Feb. 2025
Hudson is flanked by names like Justin Theroux as her predecessor and older brother Cam, who resigns when his substance abuse becomes a public scandal, and Chet Hanks as a star player.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 27 Feb. 2025
Ties during Trump’s first term One of the hallmarks of the first Trump Administration was a tougher stance towards China compared to his predecessors, through tit-for-tat tariffs and an Indo-Pacific strategy that aimed to curb Beijing’s growing influence in the Western Pacific.
—Chad De Guzman, TIME, 27 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for predecessor
Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 1 Mar. 2025
Francis’ predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, resigned in February 2013 – the first pope to do so in nearly 600 years.
—Brieanna J. Frank, USA TODAY, 28 Feb. 2025
Hudson is flanked by names like Justin Theroux as her predecessor and older brother Cam, who resigns when his substance abuse becomes a public scandal, and Chet Hanks as a star player.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 27 Feb. 2025
Ties during Trump’s first term One of the hallmarks of the first Trump Administration was a tougher stance towards China compared to his predecessors, through tit-for-tat tariffs and an Indo-Pacific strategy that aimed to curb Beijing’s growing influence in the Western Pacific.
—Chad De Guzman, TIME, 27 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for predecessor
Recent Examples of Synonyms for predecessor
Noun
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In 1914, Frank Newman opened the Royal Theatre which was a forerunner to movie palaces in the city, a significant departure from nickelodeons.—
Michael Wells,
Kansas City Star,
28 Feb. 2025
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Hammond, the school’s forerunner, won its fourth straight 3A sectional title in 2008.—
Michael Osipoff,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The Cajuns of south Louisiana trace their ancestors to the French Acadians exiled from Nova Scotia around 1755.—
Kristy Christiansen,
Southern Living,
6 Mar. 2025
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Capes were an homage to the ones worn by his shepherd ancestors, who practiced transhumance in the Caucasus for centuries, reworked by Gassanoff in a sheer chiffon-like fabric or in a thick wool version, both with very structured silhouettes.—
Alberto Calabrese,
Vogue,
5 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Planned a year in advance, essentially right after the previous Oscars ceremony has wrapped, the glamorous precursor to Hollywood’s biggest night comes together thanks to a production team filled with hard-working, movie-loving craftspeople.—
Sharareh Drury,
People.com,
1 Mar. 2025
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Will trusting those precursors blow up in my face again?—
Glenn Whipp,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Predecessor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/predecessor. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
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