Synonyms of forerunner

forerunner

noun

ˈfȯr-ˌrə-nər 

1

as in precursor

one that announces or indicates the later arrival of another

the return of the swallows is traditionally regarded as a forerunner of spring

Synonyms & Similar Words

• precursor
• harbinger
• herald
• sign
• angel
• symptom
• outrider
• foregoer
• foretaste
• messenger
• announcer
• runner
• advertiser
• proclaimer
• forewarning
• foreshadowing
• portent
• presage
• courier
• omen
• crier
• foreshadower
• foreboder
• bellwether
• auspice
• foreboding
• prefiguring
• augury
• blazoner
• boding
• mark

2

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

• precursor
• ancestor
• prototype
• predecessor
• originator
• antecedent
• original
• granddaddy
• archetype
• model
• daddy
• mother
• foregoer
• sire
• father

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• descendant
• offshoot
• by-product
• derivative
• outgrowth
• son
• daughter
• spin-off

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

Recent Examples of forerunner

Dubbed the ‘American Turtle’ for its appearance, the submarine made three attempts to blow up British ships without success, but is considered the forerunner of modern submarines. — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 16 Sep. 2026

Margaret and Alice are the forerunners of Lucy and Ethel, and Shakespeare’s comedy, written expressly to entertain, gives us a sense of what an Elizabethan-era situation comedy might look like. — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2026

One of the forerunners today in Madeira and the Azores is António Maçanita from Azores Wine Company. — Forbes.com, 20 July 2026

The city had a history of assimilating such yearners, most notably Madonna, Swift’s forerunner and her own Middle American transplant success story. — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 3 July 2026