as in requirements
something that must exist or happen before something else can exist or happen
An education is an important precondition for getting a good job. They insist on a guarantee as a precondition to the deal.
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Recent Examples of preconditions
Qatar has hosted multiple rounds of talks since April between the Congo and M23, mainly to set preconditions for a peace deal and agree on confidence-building steps, but both sides still accuse each other of violating peace terms and fighting has continued.
—
CNN Money, 15 Nov. 2025
Trump is fully capable of spinning a narrative that would claim one of those preconditions, even while having no resemblance to the truth.
—Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025
Build Preconditions First Start with the preconditions.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
However, the late Tuesday decision handed down by Judge Amit Mehta, who has been overseeing the Google Search antitrust trial, prevents Alphabet from paying for contracts with preconditions such as making its Google Search the exclusive search option.
—Morgan Chittum, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2025
The first step—which could be agreed in days—is an immediate cease-fire along current front lines, without any preconditions or promises beyond starting talks.
—Miriam Sapiro, Time, 15 Aug. 2025
The White House quickly shifted away from its preconditions for the meeting.
—Chris Boccia, ABC News, 8 Aug. 2025
CNN Money, 15 Nov. 2025
Trump is fully capable of spinning a narrative that would claim one of those preconditions, even while having no resemblance to the truth.
—Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025
Build Preconditions First Start with the preconditions.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
However, the late Tuesday decision handed down by Judge Amit Mehta, who has been overseeing the Google Search antitrust trial, prevents Alphabet from paying for contracts with preconditions such as making its Google Search the exclusive search option.
—Morgan Chittum, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2025
The first step—which could be agreed in days—is an immediate cease-fire along current front lines, without any preconditions or promises beyond starting talks.
—Miriam Sapiro, Time, 15 Aug. 2025
The White House quickly shifted away from its preconditions for the meeting.
—Chris Boccia, ABC News, 8 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preconditions
Noun
-
The Transit Alliance estimates that, in Miami-Dade alone, parking requirements mandate roughly a half-million more parking spaces than are actually needed.—
Max Klaver,
Miami Herald,
23 Jan. 2026
-
The law was never intended to punish disaster victims, and rigid interpretations that ignore real-world rebuilding requirements undermine both equity and public trust.—
Jeffrey Prang,
Daily News,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The ordinary was taken up a notch with simple bathroom necessities contained and organized into pretty jars.—
Rebecca Jones,
Southern Living,
21 Jan. 2026
-
The bankruptcy trustee will be monitoring your financial activity, and you're expected to spend the money on necessities rather than luxuries.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
21 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Cancellations at the Atlanta airport More than 10,000 flights across the country have been canceled as airports manage the harsh conditions caused by the storm.—
Dan Raby,
CBS News,
25 Jan. 2026
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Robert had been invited to climb it as part of the building’s official public opening, but conditions were far worse that day, with rain and heavy winds – making his climb four hours long, compared to Honnold’s one and a half hours.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
25 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Jones said this week that being a former head coach, or even a former NFL defensive coordinator, wouldn’t be prerequisites for their next defensive coordinator.—
Joseph Hoyt,
Dallas Morning News,
9 Jan. 2026
-
The Army listed no strict prerequisites.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
2 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Preconditions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preconditions. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.
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