ANTECESSOR Synonyms: 37 Similar and Opposite Words

antecessor

noun

Definition of antecessor

as in predecessor

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Recent Examples of antecessor Like Homo antecessor, the Casablanca fossils have a mix of characteristics from Homo erectus, ourselves and our cousins. — CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for antecessor

Noun

Its predecessor, Virtuality, launched in 2000 as a forum where Italian animation and visual effects professionals could exchange work and experience.

— Callum McLennan, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026
Ellison has taken an opposing view from his predecessors who confronted crumbling industry economics by cutting expenditures to boost their corporate bottom lines.

— Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of predecessor

Noun

The changes would have affected the environments in which life developed and evolved, from the age of the dinosaurs through to some of our oldest primate ancestors.

— Keith Cooper, Space.com, 13 Oct. 2026
In his view, Flagg Mountain’s fire-scarred stumps corroborate what his community already knew—that their ancestors used fire for centuries—and reinforce their sense of responsibility to care for the land.

— M. R. O’Connor, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of ancestor

Noun

At first there is just a single basin, corresponding to the pool of myeloid progenitor cells.

— Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 9 Oct. 2026
Featuring cantilevered balconies and roofs, Wright later described the home as a progenitor to Fallingwater.

— Katherine McLaughlin, Architectural Digest, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of progenitor

Noun

Alongside his mother, Paola Moscatelli, who serves as chief executive officer, Vicentini came to work for his grandfather right before COVID-19 after a career as an architect at OXO Architects in Paris.

— Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 8 Oct. 2026
Blending comedy, family drama and supernatural elements, the film revolves around the relationship between a Gen Z grandson and his war-veteran grandfather.

— Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of grandfather

Noun

Many progressives and political experts cite Sanders, the Senate's only democratic socialist member, as the forefather of the movement that has toppled several longtime Democratic incumbents across the nation this year.

— Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 16 Aug. 2026
Wulf pays overdue homage to an intellectual titan and forefather of linguistics and natural history.

— Hamilton Cain, Time, 7 July 2026

Definition of forefather

Noun

Mike Brown said the digital driver license is the forebearer of discriminating against the unvaccinated.

— Bryan Schott, The Salt Lake Tribune, 8 Feb. 2022
If successful, The Mayflower Autonomous Ship, named in honor of its famous nautical forebearer and known as MAS for short, will be the first such trans-Atlantic voyage by an autonomous vessel.

— Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 27 Nov. 2021

Definition of forebearer

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anteceding

antecessor

antecessors

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“Antecessor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/antecessor. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of antecessor

noun

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