as in previous
going before another in time or order
I'd like to follow up on an antecedent question from another reporter
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in cause
someone or something responsible for a result
what are the antecedents of the American Revolutionary War?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in forerunner
something belonging to an earlier time from which something else was later developed
the typewriter is the antecedent of the computer keyboard
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of antecedent
Hakan Karaosman, Sourcing Journal, 17 Oct. 2024
Relaxed high-altitude winds, the spreading of air aloft and the presence of an antecedent tropical wave all made for the formation of a hurricane — but record-warm water temperatures, reminiscent of September, helped transform the storm into a top-tier tempest.
—Amanda Coletta, Washington Post, 2 July 2024
Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 21 May 2025
European hard-right parties, some with fascist antecedents, hope to capitalize on Mr. Trump’s unrelenting presence and emulate his victory.
—Roger Cohen, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for antecedent
Adjective
Responsible purchasing is antecedent to fair and equitable decarbonization in the supply chain.
—Hakan Karaosman, Sourcing Journal, 17 Oct. 2024
Relaxed high-altitude winds, the spreading of air aloft and the presence of an antecedent tropical wave all made for the formation of a hurricane — but record-warm water temperatures, reminiscent of September, helped transform the storm into a top-tier tempest.
—Amanda Coletta, Washington Post, 2 July 2024
Noun
Polish-born and Paris-based, Piotr Kamler is an experimental animator whose work explores temporal distortions and spatial paradoxes, conjuring here a slow-creeping sense of entrapment intensified by an unnerving soundscape—a clear antecedent to Barker’s nightmarish visions.
—Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 21 May 2025
European hard-right parties, some with fascist antecedents, hope to capitalize on Mr. Trump’s unrelenting presence and emulate his victory.
—Roger Cohen, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for antecedent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for antecedent
Adjective
-
Some experts cited previous waves of political violence, such as a spate of assassinations in the late 1960s, which predated online platforms.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
25 Sep. 2025
-
In principle, a CNTR rocket can double the specific impulse provided by previous nuclear thermal rocket designs dating back to the 1950s (and still being worked on by NASA and DARPA today) as well as quadruple that which can be achieved by chemical rockets.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
24 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Antifa International raises money through standing campaigns on Patreon, FundRazr, and the Action Network, a fundraising platform used to mobilize support for left-wing causes.—
Mia Cathell,
The Washington Examiner,
25 Sep. 2025
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Sinkholes, depressions in the ground caused by the sudden collapse of the surface layer, can form for various reasons, including natural causes like intense rainfall, flooding or drought, as well as human activities such as construction and aging infrastructure.—
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Compared to their forerunners in the tsarist era, with their party congresses held abroad, their executive committees, and their active recruitment in imperial Russia’s universities, Soviet dissidents remained a comparatively small and informal conglomeration of activists.—
Benjamin Nathans
September 24,
Literary Hub,
24 Sep. 2025
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Schuyler, who a decade ago sold her company, Epitome Pictures, to DHX Media, a forerunner of Wild Brain Entertainment, was not available for comment on Wednesday.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Demosponges are soft and squishy filter feeders and their ancestors likely shared similar characteristics.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
-
Where Lil Boosie and Kevin Gates are hometown heroes, two artists who are direct ancestors for YoungBoy’s style, YoungBoy is more notorious, fodder for the gossip shows and the minor podcasts that infiltrate their way onto your timeline.—
Jayson Buford,
Rolling Stone,
30 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The car was a precursor to the Testarossa and one of 1,007 made.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
26 Sep. 2025
-
Certification is a necessary precursor for allowing a vehicle to approach the orbiting laboratory.—
Eric Berger,
ArsTechnica,
25 Sep. 2025
Noun
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His Republican predecessors, Schmitt and, before him, Josh Hawley, also used the position to advance conservative causes, wage fights against progressive ones and raise their national profiles.—
Jeremy Kohler,
ProPublica,
24 Sep. 2025
-
Much less of a radical reconception, Restorative Darks is, Kantz admits, the palette that most closely resembles its Volume One predecessor.—
Tim Nelson,
Architectural Digest,
24 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Antecedent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/antecedent. Accessed 1 Oct. 2025.
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