PREDECESSOR Synonyms: 25 Similar and Opposite Words

predecessor

noun

ˈpre-də-ˌse-sər

Definition of predecessor

as in forerunner

something belonging to an earlier time from which something else was later developed the once-ubiquitous typewriter was the predecessor of today's electronic keyboard

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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 predecessor Under president of baseball operations Nick Krall and his predecessor, Dick Williams, the Reds have prioritized drafting and developing pitching. — C. Trent Rosecrans, New York Times, 17 July 2026 The time jump Some sequels pick up immediately after their predecessor left off. — Richard Edwards, Space.com, 17 July 2026 Prior to the conflict in the Middle East, the president oversaw consistently lower costs compared with his predecessor. — Claire Malon, Chicago Tribune, 17 July 2026 The predecessor district was represented for decades by a Black member of Congress. — Anthony Man, Sun Sentinel, 17 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for predecessor

Recent Examples of Synonyms for predecessor

Noun

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, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026

Definition of forerunner

Noun

At some point in the mid-1850s, the river Padma suddenly carved a new path through the village of his ancestors in modern-day Bangladesh, flooding their homes and scattering them across the Indian subcontinent.

— Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 20 July 2026
All across the United States, federal soldiers rounded up our Native American ancestors like cattle, pushing them into prison camps, many of which later became reservations.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 July 2026

Definition of ancestor

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predeceasing

predecessor

predecessors

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“Predecessor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/predecessor. Accessed 26 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of predecessor

noun

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