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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Example Sentences

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 Timely and fresh, the new series distinguishes itself from the original while paying homage to everything that made its predecessor so iconic. — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 24 Sep. 2026 The Zip Pro also gets a 38-Wh battery, which Aurzen rates for up to 150 minutes of playback in Eco mode (67% longer than its predecessor). — New Atlas, 24 Sep. 2026 Peng has embraced a more public role than her predecessors, who rarely attended state visits and usually stayed in the background. — ABC News, 24 Sep. 2026 Unlike many of its fall festival predecessors (including TIFF proper for the first time this year), NYFF doesn’t have a market per se. — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 24 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for predecessor

Recent Examples of Synonyms for predecessor

Noun

Dubbed the ‘American Turtle’ for its appearance, the submarine made three attempts to blow up British ships without success, but is considered the forerunner of modern submarines.

— Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 16 Sep. 2026
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

Definition of forerunner

Noun

By remaining involved in the businesses their ancestors began, these families have preserved and expanded their wealth across multiple generations while also shaping the American business landscape.

— Alex Gurley, PEOPLE, 30 Sep. 2026
John Spencer, at the time heir to the Spencer earldom and styled as Viscount Althorp, was two years older than Queen Elizabeth II and descended from a long line of ancestors who served the British crown.

— Diego Parrado, Vanity Fair, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of ancestor

Noun

The process, which typically is a precursor to involuntary staff reductions, just concluded with the cooling-off period for those who had opted in ending this past weekend, sources said.

— Dade Hayes, Deadline, 29 Sep. 2026
The coal and steel organization was the first among European institutions that were precursors to what eventually became the European Union.

— ABC News, ABC News, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of precursor

Browse Nearby Words

predeceasing

predecessor

predecessors

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Style

“Predecessor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/predecessor. Accessed 1 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of predecessor

noun

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