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antecedent

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word antecedent distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of antecedent are anterior, foregoing, former, preceding, previous, and prior. While all these words mean "being before," antecedent applies to order in time and may suggest a causal relation.

conditions antecedent to the revolution

When can anterior be used instead of antecedent?

While the synonyms anterior and antecedent are close in meaning, anterior applies to position before or ahead of usually in space, sometimes in time or order.

the anterior lobe of the brain

In what contexts can foregoing take the place of antecedent?

The words foregoing and antecedent can be used in similar contexts, but foregoing applies chiefly to statements.

the foregoing remarks

Where would former be a reasonable alternative to antecedent?

The words former and antecedent are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, former implies always a definite comparison or contrast with something that is latter.

the former name of the company

When might preceding be a better fit than antecedent?

The synonyms preceding and antecedent are sometimes interchangeable, but preceding usually implies being immediately before in time or in place.

the preceding sentence

How are the words previous and prior related as synonyms of antecedent?

Both previous and prior imply existing or occurring earlier, but prior often adds an implication of greater importance.

a child from a previous marriage
a prior obligation

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of 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
Polish-born and Paris-based, Piotr Kamler is an experimental animator whose work explores temporal distortions and spatial paradoxes, conjuring here a slow-creeping sense of entrapment intensified by an unnerving soundscape—a clear antecedent to Barker’s nightmarish visions. Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 21 May 2025 European hard-right parties, some with fascist antecedents, hope to capitalize on Mr. Trump’s unrelenting presence and emulate his victory. Roger Cohen, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for antecedent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for antecedent
Adjective
  • In July, a judge said Decarlos Brown might not be mentally capable of understanding previous charges against him.
    Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
  • The two sides reached terms on a renewal after a short-term extension to their previous pact, averting a blackout of Fox News and other nets on YouTube TV.
    Todd Spangler, Variety, 10 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Investigators will be relying heavily on the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner to identify the victim and to figure out the cause of death, police sources said.
    Alex Stone, ABC News, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Don Lima, always a champion for civic causes, headed up the organization, which became the Italian American Heritage Foundation the following June.
    Sal Pizarro, Mercury News, 10 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The reactor is the forerunner to the Aalo Pod, a 50-megawatt modular power plant designed specifically for data centers.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 29 Aug. 2025
  • Bittler has been with Paramount (and its forerunner Viacom) for some 25 years, most recently as executive vp communications for the company’s kids and family division, including Nickelodeon, Awesomeness and kids and family series at Paramount+.
    Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 26 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Her ancestor’s analytic model discouraged self-revelation by the therapist, but Freud often meets her guests’ excavations of desire and vulnerability with her own candid recollections.
    Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
  • In Rea Rasmussen's case, the process took 18 months and required building genealogical connections back to ancestors born in the 1780s.
    Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Events once considered rare—like the 2003 Northeast blackout that hit 50 million people—are now seen as precursors of larger disruptions.
    Robert Rapier, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
  • Armani’s foray into the food and beverage world in 1998 served as a precursor to his interior design endeavors but greatly established his design vision.
    Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 4 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • He has been put in charge of a fragile minority government prone to challenges, demands and upheaval from parties on both the far left and right — as the ousting of Bayrou and his predecessor, Michel Barnier, less than a year ago, has proven.
    Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Fumio Kishida, Ishiba’s direct predecessor, did not visit the shrine, although several of his ministers did, including his Defense Minister Minoru Kihara—the first serving defense chief to visit the shrine on the anniversary of Japan’s surrender.
    Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 10 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Antecedent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/antecedent. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.

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