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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Recent Examples of predecessor
The incumbent operates more quietly than his predecessor, whose controversial statements and personal life routinely made news.
—
Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 1 June 2026
New CEOs and leaders face complexities in business that their predecessors never did, and rapid rates of change.
—David Morel, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
Six miles along the valley is Visp, the birthplace of Sepp Blatter, Infantino’s predecessor at FIFA, who, until Infantino entered the picture, was the most infamous soccer administrator of all time.
—Sam Knight, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
The Thunder, and SGA, reveled in it like their juggernaut predecessors.
—Joel Lorenzi, New York Times, 31 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for predecessor
Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 1 June 2026
New CEOs and leaders face complexities in business that their predecessors never did, and rapid rates of change.
—David Morel, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
Six miles along the valley is Visp, the birthplace of Sepp Blatter, Infantino’s predecessor at FIFA, who, until Infantino entered the picture, was the most infamous soccer administrator of all time.
—Sam Knight, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
The Thunder, and SGA, reveled in it like their juggernaut predecessors.
—Joel Lorenzi, New York Times, 31 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for predecessor
Recent Examples of Synonyms for predecessor
Noun
-
While Bass remains widely viewed as the forerunner, recent polling suggests the race might be tightening heading into the final days before the June 2 primary.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
29 May 2026
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Under Revie, over the course of the next 13 seasons, Leeds won promotion, were champions of England twice, won the League Cup, the FA Cup and twice lifted the Fairs Cup (the forerunner of the UEFA Cup, now the Europa League).—
Michael Walker,
New York Times,
22 May 2026
Noun
-
Our ancestors—the hard-working, long-suffering peasant women who told these stories to each other and passed them down the generations through the oral tradition—knew everything there was to know about adversity.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 June 2026
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The contest also encouraged students to think of ways to prevent water pollution, and how our ancestors may have loved to save water.—
Julie Gallant,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
3 June 2026
Noun
-
Tort claims are typically filed as a precursor to a lawsuit.—
Rose Evans
Updated May 29,
Idaho Statesman,
29 May 2026
-
But the true precursor to the UFC Octagon might be the wrestling cage.—
Harmeet Kaur,
CNN Money,
28 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Predecessor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/predecessor. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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