predecessor

noun

pre·de·ces·sor | \ ˈpre-də-ˌse-sər

, ˈprē-; ˌpre-də-ˈse-, ˌprē-

Definition of predecessor

1 : one that precedes especially : a person who has previously occupied a position or office to which another has succeeded

2 archaic : ancestor

Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Learn More about predecessor

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Examples of predecessor in a Sentence

Today's computers are much faster than their predecessors were. the once-ubiquitous typewriter was the predecessor of today's electronic keyboard

Recent Examples on the Web

The only problem: Altaba faces a huge tax bill because its predecessor Yahoo bought its initial... — Jacky Wong, WSJ, "Why Yahoo’s Heir Is Finally Giving Up on Alibaba," 4 Apr. 2019 Unlike its predecessors, the heart of this home show would lie in those moments when the camera lingers a little. — Taysha Murtaugh, Country Living, "Lindsey Weidhorn Is the Woman Behind All Your Favorite HGTV Shows," 2 Apr. 2019 Again, Epic announced yesterday that Exodus sold 2.5 times as many copies in its first few weeks on the Epic Games Store as predecessor Last Light did in a comparable period in 2013. — Hayden Dingman, PCWorld, "The Epic Games Store won't always push for exclusives 'at this scale'," 21 Mar. 2019 Whether by design or serendipity, tough talk and blunt action have provided Mr. Trump with a series of opportunities to advance the cause of free trade more consequentially than his recent predecessors. — Robert Porter, WSJ, "Trump’s Big Trade Opening," 14 Mar. 2019 However, the actress says she's had more trouble playing Elizabeth II than her 17th century predecessor. — Erica Gonzales, Harper's BAZAAR, "A New Photo from The Crown Season 3 Set Shows Olivia Colman in a Tiara as the Queen," 4 Mar. 2019 In general, though, both devices are essentially spec bumps over their predecessors. — Mark Hachman, PCWorld, "Huawei refreshes the Matebook X Pro and adds a larger Matebook 14," 24 Feb. 2019 Casey was a trailblazer in dating app technology, creating a Tinder predecessor—and even becoming her own best customer...until a ski weekend in Aspen for New Year's changed everything. — Judy Greer, Marie Claire, "Rom-Com BFFs Get the Spotlight: Casey from 27 Dresses," 12 Feb. 2019 After a wobbly start, the third season turned out to be just as strong and surprising as its predecessors. — Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, "TV Technica 2018: Our favorite shows and binges," 24 Dec. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'predecessor.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.