forerunner

noun

fore·​run·​ner ˈfȯr-ˌrə-nər 

1

: one that precedes and indicates the approach of another: such as

a

: a premonitory sign or symptom

b

: a skier who runs the course before the start of a race

2

: predecessor, ancestor

Synonyms of forerunner

• precursor
• harbinger
• herald
• sign
• angel

Choose the Right Synonym for forerunner

forerunner, precursor, harbinger, herald mean one that goes before or announces the coming of another.

forerunner is applicable to anything that serves as a sign or presage.

the blockade was the forerunner of war

precursor applies to a person or thing paving the way for the success or accomplishment of another.

18th century poets like Burns were precursors of the Romantics

harbinger and herald both apply, chiefly figuratively, to one that proclaims or announces the coming or arrival of a notable event.

their early victory was the harbinger of a winning season

the herald of a new age in medicine

Examples of forerunner in a Sentence

a simple machine that was the forerunner of today's computers

I had that strange feeling that's the forerunner of a cold.

Recent Examples on the Web

Margaret and Alice are the forerunners of Lucy and Ethel, and Shakespeare’s comedy, written expressly to entertain, gives us a sense of what an Elizabethan-era situation comedy might look like. — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2026

One of the forerunners today in Madeira and the Azores is António Maçanita from Azores Wine Company. — Forbes.com, 20 July 2026

The city had a history of assimilating such yearners, most notably Madonna, Swift’s forerunner and her own Middle American transplant success story. — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 3 July 2026

The group, which includes Chrysler, Fiat, Peugeot and Citroen, is becoming a forerunner in the promising progress of a new type of vehicle battery. — New Atlas, 15 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for forerunner

• brunner
• gunnar
• gunner
• runner
• tonner

Kids Definition

forerunner

noun

fore·​run·​ner -ˌrən-ər 

1

: one going or sent before to give notice of the approach of others : harbinger

2

: predecessor, ancestor