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
One of his high school teachers was also his predecessor as mayor of Danbury, popular Mark Boughton.
—
Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 16 Aug. 2025
Prior to Lionsgate, Spitz was with Artisan Films and its predecessor LIVE Entertainment.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 14 Aug. 2025
The Paper looks much more earnest and much less funny than its predecessor.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2025
Newer spacecraft, such as the Starship Human Landing System, could be more vulnerable to ground movement than their Apollo predecessors, the new study suggests.
—Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 4 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for predecessor
Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 16 Aug. 2025
Prior to Lionsgate, Spitz was with Artisan Films and its predecessor LIVE Entertainment.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 14 Aug. 2025
The Paper looks much more earnest and much less funny than its predecessor.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2025
Newer spacecraft, such as the Starship Human Landing System, could be more vulnerable to ground movement than their Apollo predecessors, the new study suggests.
—Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 4 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for predecessor
Recent Examples of Synonyms for predecessor
Noun
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German missile designers launched their V2 rocket for the first time—the forerunner of the ICBM that would blitz the United Kingdom—and Berlin’s Luftwaffe dominated European skies.—
Kevin Holden Platt,
Forbes.com,
7 Aug. 2025
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His band may be forerunners in this respect, but Allen recognizes that the attention is paying off for all of his Alabama contemporaries.—
Josh Crutchmer,
Rolling Stone,
28 June 2025
Noun
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No offense to landscapes and wildlife painting and portraits of ancestors–Burgess does all of that, too–but here was something different, provocative.—
Chadd Scott,
Forbes.com,
20 Aug. 2025
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Though the efforts of our ancestors were often met with devastating backlash, the truth remains: this is the blueprint.—
Essence,
Essence,
19 Aug. 2025
Noun
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These types of civil demands are typically a precursor to litigation, which Rokita has floated as a possibility.—
Cate Charron,
IndyStar,
14 Aug. 2025
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This may be a precursor to Apple introducing smart glasses.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
14 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Predecessor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/predecessor. Accessed 27 Aug. 2025.
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