1
as in forerunner
one that announces or indicates the later arrival of another
18th-century lyric poets like Robert Burns were precursors of the Romantics
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2
as in ancestor
something belonging to an earlier time from which something else was later developed
a precursor of the modern eggplant
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of precursor
Nor have Chinese authorities aggressively prosecuted the traders who sell the precursors to illicit-drug networks.
—
Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 24 July 2025
Michael Gann, who lives in Inwood, New York, ordered precursor chemicals, which can be combined to create an explosive mixture, online and formulated the seven IEDs, the indictment says.
—Taylor Romine, CNN Money, 23 July 2025
As well as the direct effects, a cooling housing market can also signal deeper problems and, as certain economists have recently warned, serves as a potential precursor to a wider economic downturn.
—Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 July 2025
Chinese authorities have since controlled a number of these precursor chemicals.
—Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 12 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for precursor
Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 24 July 2025
Michael Gann, who lives in Inwood, New York, ordered precursor chemicals, which can be combined to create an explosive mixture, online and formulated the seven IEDs, the indictment says.
—Taylor Romine, CNN Money, 23 July 2025
As well as the direct effects, a cooling housing market can also signal deeper problems and, as certain economists have recently warned, serves as a potential precursor to a wider economic downturn.
—Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 July 2025
Chinese authorities have since controlled a number of these precursor chemicals.
—Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 12 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for precursor
Recent Examples of Synonyms for precursor
Noun
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Previously Fefferman was a key player at Radius, the indie-film company co-founded by Tom Quinn that was a forerunner to his highly successful banner Neon.—
Ethan Millman,
HollywoodReporter,
6 Aug. 2025
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Lehrer was the forerunner of musical comedians like Weird Al Yankovic, Rachel Bloom, and the Lonely Island.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
28 July 2025
Noun
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Our harsh winters and gorgeous summers reminded our ancestors of home.—
Jess Fleming,
Twin Cities,
3 Aug. 2025
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The small, rugged truck crossed over into civilian use and is the ancestor of the off-road vehicles and SUVs that patrol suburbs and ferry kids to the frontlines of soccer games.—
Tom Vanden Brook,
USA Today,
2 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The manner in which these challenges play out may be a harbinger of AI’s eventual impact to other sectors.—
Dr. Jonathan Reichental,
Forbes.com,
4 Aug. 2025
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When eToro went public in May, investors saw the trading platform’s performance as a harbinger of whether the fintech IPO window would open back up.—
Alicia Adamczyk,
Fortune,
28 July 2025
Noun
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There may be cardiac symptoms such as palpitations or slow rhythms; muscle pain and fatigue.—
Asuka Koda,
CNN Money,
5 Aug. 2025
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Know the red flags: Understand the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
5 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Varsity jackets bear the Maroon Tiger of Morehouse and the jaguar of Spelman, not as mascots, but as heralds of intellectual fortitude.—
Shelby Stewart,
Essence,
23 July 2025
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Julia Garner portrays the villainous herald the Silver Surfer, and Ralph Ineson is the world-eating giant Galactus.—
Mark Hughes,
Forbes.com,
26 July 2025
Noun
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His humanitarian activism through board positions at Ronald McDonald House Charities and Rady Children's Hospital Foundation is further fueled by her entire recovery and the absence of any signs of the illness.—
Matthew Kayser,
USA Today,
15 Aug. 2025
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With the scam showing no signs of slowing down, the FBI has updated its warning to share more details about how these fraudsters hope to steal your money—and your crypto.—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Its current structure was commissioned by Bishop Oliver King, who—according to legend—dreamt of angels climbing golden ladders to heaven: now immortalized on the Abbey’s West Front.—
Lewis Nunn,
Forbes.com,
31 July 2025
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Blessed Virgin of Pompeii was built in 1904; it was known for the pink bricks it was built from and the statue of an angel that stood watch atop its steeple.—
Chris Foran,
jsonline.com,
31 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Precursor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/precursor. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
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