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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
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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 of predecessor from the Web
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Watch Sabrina give a full run-down of her most influential predecessors below and learn how R&B music saved her.
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Obama's office served as a means to recreate and expand on the one launched by his Democratic predecessor.
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Like its predecessors, the sale prompted stark opposition from China, which considers Taiwan as part of its territory.
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The new generation of architects, Lee said, has a different attitude toward history than its predecessors: The past should not be rejected outright, as was the case with the sleek abstraction of the International Style.
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Trump has a number of advantages that could help him succeed where a string of predecessors have failed.
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But on Sunday night, Fear ripped a page out of its predecessor’s book, dedicating a full capsule episode to Daniel Salazar—who, as viewers found out last week, apparently survived the fire at Celia’s compound that seemed to kill him off last season.
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Like his predecessors, Obama receives an annual pension to perform any public duties expected of a former president, but pays for his own living expenses.
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Upon deploying to similar terrain in Afghanistan, some soldiers rediscovered the modifications made by their predecessors.
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.
Origin and Etymology of predecessor
Middle English predecessour, from Anglo-French predecessur, from Late Latin praedecessor, from Latin prae- pre- + decessor retiring governor, from decedere to depart, retire from office — more at decease
PREDECESSOR Defined for English Language Learners
predecessor
playDefinition of predecessor for English Language Learners
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: a person who had a job or position before someone else
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: something that comes before something else
PREDECESSOR Defined for Kids
predecessor
playDefinition of predecessor for Students
: a person who held a job or position before someone else
Learn More about predecessor
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See words that rhyme with predecessor Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for predecessor Spanish Central: Translation of predecessor Nglish: Translation of predecessor for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of predecessor for Arabic speakers
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