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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of precursor
The diagnosis was precursor B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia/Lymphoma (B-ALL).
—
Jordan Greene, PEOPLE, 5 June 2026
What Are Spotted Tomato Hornworms Spotted tomato hornworms or tomato hornworms are the precursor before becoming a hawk moth, also known as the hummingbird moth.
—Lauren David, Southern Living, 1 June 2026
Serena Williams is returning to tennis, ending months of speculation after her name showed up in tennis’ anti-doping testing pool, a precursor to competing again on the WTA Tour.
—Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 1 June 2026
Epitaxial growth of SiC on wafers requires temperatures above 2732°F and precise precursor chemistry; even small process deviations can generate micropipe defects that render devices inoperable.
—Aditya Jadhav, Interesting Engineering, 1 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for precursor
Jordan Greene, PEOPLE, 5 June 2026
What Are Spotted Tomato Hornworms Spotted tomato hornworms or tomato hornworms are the precursor before becoming a hawk moth, also known as the hummingbird moth.
—Lauren David, Southern Living, 1 June 2026
Serena Williams is returning to tennis, ending months of speculation after her name showed up in tennis’ anti-doping testing pool, a precursor to competing again on the WTA Tour.
—Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 1 June 2026
Epitaxial growth of SiC on wafers requires temperatures above 2732°F and precise precursor chemistry; even small process deviations can generate micropipe defects that render devices inoperable.
—Aditya Jadhav, Interesting Engineering, 1 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for precursor
Recent Examples of Synonyms for precursor
Noun
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Kubica was using Renault’s own version of a system developed by a rival that boosted a car’s speed in a straight line, using a clever aerodynamic trick that became the forerunner to the Drag Reduction System (DRS) overtaking aid.—
Alex Kalinauckas,
New York Times,
13 Nov. 2025
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Perfected by forerunners such as Fiona Apple and Alanis Morissette, this fall has already seen two music stars gift us with lay-it-all-out-there lyrics.—
Dan Heching,
CNN Money,
28 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Mesa Verde continues to hold great cultural significance for the 27 pueblos and tribes whose ancestors once called the canyons, farms, cliffside and mesa dwellings home or who have other ties to the area.—
Alia Beard Rau,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
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During the Early Devonian Period, life on land was still relatively new, and many of the ancestors of modern vertebrates had yet to emerge from the water.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
10 June 2026
Noun
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And, if last week’s sell-off in tech stocks is a harbinger, that moment may not be very far away.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
8 June 2026
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This case study highlights the technical specs, operational profile, and broader impacts of Tasmania’s electric ferry—arguably a harbinger of shipping’s clean-energy future.—
Srishti Gupta,
Interesting Engineering,
31 May 2026
Noun
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The goal of treatment is to get the caffeine out of your system while keeping your symptoms under control, and the approach depends on how far the caffeine has already moved through your body.—
Samantha Agate,
Kansas City Star,
12 June 2026
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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, symptoms include confusion, altered mental status, slurred speech, loss of consciousness (coma), hot, dry skin or profuse sweating, seizures and a very high body temperature.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
11 June 2026
Noun
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The reason is that the 1996 Ferrari 550 Maranello’s arrival was one of the heralds of the Ferrari of today, the one building cars with both world-beating performance and everyday usability.—
Will Sabel Courtney,
Robb Report,
28 May 2026
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This ground-hugging perennial heralds the arrival of spring with a regal display of fragrant blooms.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
19 May 2026
Noun
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Authorities said there were no signs of a struggle in the home.—
Richard Ramos,
CBS News,
17 June 2026
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The surest sign of improving standards in Ghana and other African countries, Hughton thinks, will be when diaspora players born elsewhere in the world opt to follow their roots.—
Simon Hughes,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
Noun
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After all, there are 17 miles of beach to explore here, and plenty of opportunities to score common finds such as fighting conchs, clams, angel wings, scallops, great heart cockles, and lightning whelks.—
Skye Sherman,
Southern Living,
15 June 2026
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In 2023, Insight Partners led a $17 million Series A funding round with notable angel participation from Peter Thiel and The Chainsmokers.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
14 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Precursor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/precursor. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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