as in previous
going before another in time or order
I'd like to follow up on an antecedent question from another reporter
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in cause
someone or something responsible for a result
what are the antecedents of the American Revolutionary War?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in forerunner
something belonging to an earlier time from which something else was later developed
the typewriter is the antecedent of the computer keyboard
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of antecedent
Hakan Karaosman,
Sourcing Journal,
17 Oct. 2024
Relaxed high-altitude winds, the spreading of air aloft and the presence of an antecedent tropical wave all made for the formation of a hurricane — but record-warm water temperatures, reminiscent of September, helped transform the storm into a top-tier tempest.
—
Amanda Coletta,
Washington Post,
2 July 2024
Charlotte Observer,
25 Feb. 2026
Went on to tackle malaria, and that process created both huge successes in modern public health, but also seeded the American public health system county by county across this country, and presented the antecedents of the Centers for Disease Control based in Atlanta.
—
Christopher Dilella,
CNBC,
17 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for antecedent
Adjective
Responsible purchasing is antecedent to fair and equitable decarbonization in the supply chain.
—
Hakan Karaosman,
Sourcing Journal,
17 Oct. 2024
Relaxed high-altitude winds, the spreading of air aloft and the presence of an antecedent tropical wave all made for the formation of a hurricane — but record-warm water temperatures, reminiscent of September, helped transform the storm into a top-tier tempest.
—
Amanda Coletta,
Washington Post,
2 July 2024
Noun
And does the Green Goblin also have a Shakespearean antecedent?
—
Charlotte Observer,
25 Feb. 2026
Went on to tackle malaria, and that process created both huge successes in modern public health, but also seeded the American public health system county by county across this country, and presented the antecedents of the Centers for Disease Control based in Atlanta.
—
Christopher Dilella,
CNBC,
17 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for antecedent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for antecedent
Adjective
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That's a decrease of $8-14 million from the previous estimates.
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That monitoring period was set because symptoms of hantavirus have taken as long as 42 days to appear in previous outbreaks.
Noun
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While the Cottonwood Fire's cause was unknown, Cox's order noted that humans have been the cause of most fires in the state so far this year.
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The official cause and manner of death will be released by the Clark County Coroner’s Office, police said.
Noun
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The group, which includes Chrysler, Fiat, Peugeot and Citroen, is becoming a forerunner in the promising progress of a new type of vehicle battery.
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In 2007, the Oatley family opened Qualia, their 30-acre flagship property and the forerunner of Australia’s luxury lodges.
Noun
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But just because our microbiome differs from our ancestors' doesn't mean reverting to an earlier model is better.
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The range of Pennsylvania Dutch vocabulary reflects the immediate, physical nature of my ancestors’ lives and work.
Noun
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Sea surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean have topped daily warm records for more than 20 days in June, a precursor to what many scientists expect to be one of the strongest El Niño events on record.
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Today, financial independence is often about knowledge—and career opportunity—as a precursor to power.
Noun
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The film, based on Thomas Perry’s novel Strip, wears its influences — ranging from Elmore Leonard to Carl Hiaasen to Quentin Tarantino — heavily, without the genuine wit of many of its predecessors.
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During more than 50 years as a member of the EU and its predecessors, many British businesses also came to rely on Europe as a source of cheap labor, especially after the bloc’s eastward expansion in 2004.
Cite this Entry
“Antecedent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/antecedent. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.
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