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
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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
Brady Gilliam, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025
Yet critics and journalists can longer trace its antecedents to An American in Paris, Bonjour Tristesse and Breathless, thus proving our detachment from our Western moral foundations.
—Armond White, National Review, 28 Mar. 2025
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
Research On The Nature Of Creativity A number of researchers have focused their studies on a more diverse set of factors that serve as antecedents to creativity.
—Brady Gilliam, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025
Yet critics and journalists can longer trace its antecedents to An American in Paris, Bonjour Tristesse and Breathless, thus proving our detachment from our Western moral foundations.
—Armond White, National Review, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for antecedent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for antecedent
Adjective
-
The previous time City had played at Wembley was a decade earlier, for the memorable win over Gillingham.—
Michael Cox,
New York Times,
29 June 2025
-
For example, in March 2024, the UN reported that in the previous year, 100 allegations were reported in peacekeeping and special political missions.—
Dr. Ewelina U. Ochab,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2025
Noun
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Still, the lack of a clear succession plan is a cause of great anxiety in a country where the monarch has long served as a bastion of stability.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
26 June 2025
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The cause of the Bootid meteor shower is dust and debris left in the inner solar system by comet 7P/Pons-Winnecke, a near-Earth short-period comet that orbits the sun every six years.—
Jamie Carter,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2025
Noun
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This is, in part, explained by the institutional memory of the competition’s forerunner — the Intercontinental Cup — and the legendary battles of a bygone era.—
James Horncastle,
New York Times,
19 June 2025
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Another forerunner of today’s scene is Ansedonia, a hillside community of upscale homes near Capalbio that in the 1960s became popular with creative types from the Italian capital.—
Lee Marshall,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Apr. 2025
Noun
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As Charles Handy explained in The Age of Paradox, modern life forces us to navigate complexities our ancestors never faced, such as the tension between efficiency and humanity or between individual freedom and collective responsibility.—
Shane Enete,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2025
-
Throughout the middle passage, it has been said that our ancestors wove familiar items such as beads, shells, or even seeds and grains from home into their braids, to keep with them along their journeys.—
Essence,
Essence,
19 June 2025
Noun
-
Cravats were a precursor to the modern necktie, which emerged in the late 19th and early 20th century.—
Kristopher Fraser,
Robb Report,
20 June 2025
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Real Madrid were among the favorites to win the first-of-its-kind tournament, which is a precursor to next year’s FIFA World Cup.—
Sean Neumann,
People.com,
19 June 2025
Noun
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Times staff writer Lila Seidman reports that a May 27 legal opinion by President Trump’s DOJ overturns a more than 80-year-old Justice Department determination that presidents can’t revoke national monuments created by their predecessors under the Antiquities Act.—
Jaclyn Cosgrove,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2025
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Seely, who has served as president of Varsity Spirit since 2017—and began his career as an instructor with its predecessor organization, the Universal Cheerleaders Association, in 1989—said he’s been considering a professional league for more than a decade.—
Daniel Libit,
Sportico.com,
18 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Antecedent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/antecedent. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
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