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as in ancestor
something belonging to an earlier time from which something else was later developed enjoyed the demonstration of the simple hand loom that was the forerunner of today's computer-controlled looms

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word forerunner distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of forerunner are harbinger, herald, and precursor. While all these words mean "one that goes before or announces the coming of another," forerunner is applicable to anything that serves as a sign or presage.

the blockade was the forerunner of war

How do harbinger and herald relate to one another, in the sense of forerunner?

Harbinger and herald both apply, chiefly figuratively, to one that proclaims or announces the coming or arrival of a notable event.

their early victory was the harbinger of a winning season
the herald of a new age in medicine

When would precursor be a good substitute for forerunner?

The synonyms precursor and forerunner are sometimes interchangeable, but precursor applies to a person or thing paving the way for the success or accomplishment of another.

18th century poets like Burns were precursors of the Romantics

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 forerunner Military training was also a non-starter, since the U.S. Army Air Service (a forerunner to the Air Force) did not accept women. Victor Luckerson, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 May 2025 It has been said that Nomad was the forerunner of all modern station wagons. David Krumboltz, Mercury News, 27 Apr. 2025 While his Late Night forerunner Letterman was probably the comedic polestar of Generation X—gruff, cynical, and biting the hand that fed—O’Brien became a bedrock influence for the next generation of Millennial comics. David Sims, The Atlantic, 22 Mar. 2025 The New York Dolls were forerunners of punk, and the band's style -- teased hair, women's clothes and lots of makeup -- inspired the glam movement that took up residence in heavy metal a decade later in bands like Faster Pussycat and Mötley Crüe. Mark Kennedy The Associated Press, arkansasonline.com, 2 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for forerunner
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forerunner
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
  • 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
  • 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
  • In 2012, the Wythe was a harbinger of things to come in Williamsburg.
    Katherine LaGrave, AFAR Media, 26 June 2025
  • Thus, the early activity in the Pacific isn't likely a harbinger of storms to come in the Atlantic.
    Doyle Rice, USA Today, 22 June 2025
Noun
  • By 2019, his startup team had built a prototype and launched a DTC subscription model, pairing a predictable market with luxury branding.
    Tanya Benedicto Klich, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025
  • Seed funding from investors, accelerators, or venture funds helps founders take the first critical steps: building a prototype, hiring that first team member, or testing their idea in the real world.
    Rob Zielonka, Hartford Courant, 25 June 2025
Noun
  • Brian Wilson’s death on Wednesday at the age of 82 heralds an end to one idea of Southern California — as the temperate paradise of ascendant Americana.
    August Brown, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2025
  • Budget cuts herald further losses of staff and programs.
    Bushraa Khatib, Baltimore Sun, 10 June 2025
Noun
  • If not, that might be a good sign a buyout isn’t for you.
    Daniel de Visé, USA Today, 28 June 2025
  • District administrators said the signs — including one displaying open hands of different skin tones — violated West Ada’s district policy.
    Emma Epperly, Idaho Statesman, 28 June 2025
Noun
  • Following an appearance on the U.K. entrepreneur pitch show Dragons Den - modelled on Shark Tank - the company gained an angel investor (Stephen Bartlett) and a lot of publicity.
    Trevor Clawson, Forbes.com, 29 June 2025
  • Rob Reiner appears, as if from nowhere, as a heroic angel investor who seems heaven sent to help save the Bear.
    Marah Eakin, Vulture, 27 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Forerunner.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forerunner. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.

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