as in forerunners
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 predecessors
Today’s new cars and trucks are many times more sophisticated than their predecessors just a few decades ago.
—
Michael Harley,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2026
The many new elements are deeper and much more exciting than their predecessors.
—
Will Greenwald,
PC Magazine,
27 June 2026
If true, the role of the 1960s hard-selling ‘rabbis’ would seem anachronistic – until the next iteration of studio management turns out to be as inert as its predecessors.
—
Peter Bart,
Deadline,
25 June 2026
These Washington Nationals are not their predecessors, because their fans showed up to Nationals Park this week and finally decided to dream.
—
Spencer Nusbaum,
New York Times,
24 June 2026
There is something stereotypically masculine about the kind of chest-pumping, overly stylish translations of your predecessors.
—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
23 June 2026
The film, based on Thomas Perry’s novel Strip, wears its influences — ranging from Elmore Leonard to Carl Hiaasen to Quentin Tarantino — heavily, without the genuine wit of many of its predecessors.
—
Frank Scheck,
HollywoodReporter,
22 June 2026
During more than 50 years as a member of the EU and its predecessors, many British businesses also came to rely on Europe as a source of cheap labor, especially after the bloc’s eastward expansion in 2004.
—
Danica Kirka,
Fortune,
22 June 2026
Many of these coupists capitalized on public discontent over deteriorating economies and security conditions to overthrow their predecessors.
—
Kaitlyn Rabe,
The Conversation,
16 June 2026
Michael Harley,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2026
The many new elements are deeper and much more exciting than their predecessors.
—
Will Greenwald,
PC Magazine,
27 June 2026
If true, the role of the 1960s hard-selling ‘rabbis’ would seem anachronistic – until the next iteration of studio management turns out to be as inert as its predecessors.
—
Peter Bart,
Deadline,
25 June 2026
These Washington Nationals are not their predecessors, because their fans showed up to Nationals Park this week and finally decided to dream.
—
Spencer Nusbaum,
New York Times,
24 June 2026
There is something stereotypically masculine about the kind of chest-pumping, overly stylish translations of your predecessors.
—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
23 June 2026
The film, based on Thomas Perry’s novel Strip, wears its influences — ranging from Elmore Leonard to Carl Hiaasen to Quentin Tarantino — heavily, without the genuine wit of many of its predecessors.
—
Frank Scheck,
HollywoodReporter,
22 June 2026
During more than 50 years as a member of the EU and its predecessors, many British businesses also came to rely on Europe as a source of cheap labor, especially after the bloc’s eastward expansion in 2004.
—
Danica Kirka,
Fortune,
22 June 2026
Many of these coupists capitalized on public discontent over deteriorating economies and security conditions to overthrow their predecessors.
—
Kaitlyn Rabe,
The Conversation,
16 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for predecessors
Noun
-
Even the Hammurabi Code, a set of laws created by the sixth Babylonian king in approximately 1760 bce, established forerunners of today’s interest rate and minimum wage laws.
-
The Norwegian ended his season before the Olympics to further recover from a shoulder injury, but attended the finals as one of the forerunners, who test a course shortly before a race starts.
Noun
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Goodhouse recalled stories his grandfather would tell him of their ancestors who were in the Hunkpapa camp when troops attacked.
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These findings suggest that throughout great ape evolution, our ancestors gradually developed more control over the timing of their vocalizations, including laughter.
Noun
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Essentially, this transition marks the point where our cells are set up with the precursors required for organ formation, one of the most critical events in human development.
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Earth-impacting shrapnel from those primordial upheavals may have helped seed our planet with the precursors for life, delivering water and organic compounds from the dark, icy depths of the outer solar system.
Cite this Entry
“Predecessors.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/predecessors. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
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