preexisting

adjective

pre·​ex·​ist·​ing ˌprē-ig-ˈzi-stiŋ 

: existing at an earlier time

a preexisting medical condition

Examples of preexisting in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The company also covers undetectable preexisting conditions, rust damage and improper installations. —Sharon Wu, USA Today, 1 May 2026

For example, if a Medicare Advantage plan withdraws from a market or leaves the Medicare program, its enrollees can qualify for a supplemental plan without being asked health questions or charged more for having preexisting conditions. —Julie Appleby, CBS News, 22 Apr. 2026

In return, preexisting teams could protect up to six players on their roster. —Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 19 Mar. 2026

Experts warn that snow shoveling can pose serious health risks, particularly for older adults and those with preexisting conditions. —Manahil Ahmad, The Providence Journal, 23 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1599, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for preexisting

• assisting
• blacklisting
• consisting
• delisting
• enlisting
• existing
• insisting
• persisting
• resisting
• subsisting
• coexisting
• unresisting

Medical Definition

preexisting

adjective

pre·​ex·​ist·​ing ˌprē-ig-ˈzi-stiŋ 

variants or pre-existing

: existing or present earlier or before a certain point of time

In 1990, over 60 percent of group health insurance plans contained exclusions of coverage for preexisting conditions, signifying the denial of benefits for any illness present at the time the insurance is obtained.

—Thomas Bodenheimer, in The New England Journal of Medicine