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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Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of precursor
Intriguingly, the data show that the large language models and their precursors have been increasing in size faster than the hardware has kept up.
—
Dina Genkina, IEEE Spectrum, 30 Oct. 2025
Established in 1939, Ames began as a laboratory for the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), the precursor to NASA.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 30 Oct. 2025
American officials say the Chinese government hasn’t done enough to stem the illicit international flow of precursor chemicals for fentanyl, which are then processed into the highly addictive opioid in Mexican labs and smuggled across the border to the United States.
—Janis MacKey Frayer, NBC news, 29 Oct. 2025
Most people take these NAD+ precursors in the form of pills, capsules or powders.
—Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for precursor
Dina Genkina, IEEE Spectrum, 30 Oct. 2025
Established in 1939, Ames began as a laboratory for the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), the precursor to NASA.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 30 Oct. 2025
American officials say the Chinese government hasn’t done enough to stem the illicit international flow of precursor chemicals for fentanyl, which are then processed into the highly addictive opioid in Mexican labs and smuggled across the border to the United States.
—Janis MacKey Frayer, NBC news, 29 Oct. 2025
Most people take these NAD+ precursors in the form of pills, capsules or powders.
—Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for precursor
Recent Examples of Synonyms for precursor
Noun
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Perfected by forerunners such as Fiona Apple and Alanis Morissette, this fall has already seen two music stars gift us with lay-it-all-out-there lyrics.—
Dan Heching,
CNN Money,
28 Oct. 2025
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The Park cinema launched under the ownership of Cineplex Odeon Cinemas, a forerunner of Cineplex and today an operator of multiplexes and out of home destinations.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Her ancestors were from Russia, who later fled to Ukraine and settled in Philadelphia.—
Colleen Kratofil,
PEOPLE,
4 Nov. 2025
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The idea was to go back to the basic foods that their ancestors ate.—
Chrystle Fiedler,
USA Today,
4 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The tariffs case is thus a harbinger of the far-reaching executive-power problem of this era.—
Jeannie Suk Gersen,
New Yorker,
6 Nov. 2025
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The surfers, initially viewed by some as welcome curiosities and by others as nuisances, became harbingers of economic salvation through tourism, now the dominant industry, though still a relatively new one.—
David Amsden,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
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This exercise is another variation used to treat vertigo symptoms caused by issues in the inner ear.—
Jakob Roze,
Health,
2 Nov. 2025
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Most people suffer high fever, headache, symptoms similar to the flu and muscle stiffness.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
2 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The indie feature heralds from Benacus Entertainment and RNF Productions.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
14 Oct. 2025
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Marie, Andre, Jordan, and Emma put down the supe uprising, but then psychotic fascist Homelander showed up to condemn them as villains and herald the murderous Cate and Sam as top students and potential recruits for the thoroughly corrupt Seven.—
EW Staff,
Entertainment Weekly,
19 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Trade discussions dominated those meetings, but there were signs of growing tensions over Beijing’s surging conventional and nuclear arsenal.—
Tamara Qiblawi,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
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However, unlike last season, there was no sign to those within the Capitals that their captain was feeling the pressure of scoring another historic goal.—
Sean Gentille,
New York Times,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
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According to Heuisler, after 21 years in barrels the whiskey stood at about 110 proof, and only about a quarter of the liquid actually remained after decades of the angels drinking their share.—
Jonah Flicker,
Robb Report,
2 Nov. 2025
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He can also be seen in movie theaters in Lionsgate’s angel/body-swap comedy Good Fortune directed by and starring Aziz Ansari, Reeves reprised his role as John Wick is that franchise’s spinoff Ballerina back in June.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
31 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Precursor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/precursor. Accessed 10 Nov. 2025.
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