as in previous
existing at an earlier time; existing before something else
The insurance does not cover preexisting medical conditions. They made changes to the preexisting law.
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Dissimilar Words
as in preceding
to go or come before in time
an advanced Mesoamerican civilization whose apex and collapse preexisted the arrival of Europeans by hundreds of years
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Recent Examples of preexisting
Alora Bopray, USA Today, 6 Jan. 2026
This serum is ideal for anyone looking to target premature and preexisting signs of skin aging.
—Tracy Achonwa, Vogue, 20 Nov. 2025
Like many other large businesses, J.M. Smucker also likely benefits from its scale and resources by using preexisting relationships with retailers to get products into stores across the country.
—Tom Huddleston Jr., CNBC, 11 Nov. 2025
Few people want to watch a topical show that’s not aligned with their preexisting political beliefs.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 18 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for preexisting
Adjective
Cinch also covers unknown preexisting conditions, which many competitors exclude.
—Alora Bopray, USA Today, 6 Jan. 2026
This serum is ideal for anyone looking to target premature and preexisting signs of skin aging.
—Tracy Achonwa, Vogue, 20 Nov. 2025
Like many other large businesses, J.M. Smucker also likely benefits from its scale and resources by using preexisting relationships with retailers to get products into stores across the country.
—Tom Huddleston Jr., CNBC, 11 Nov. 2025
Few people want to watch a topical show that’s not aligned with their preexisting political beliefs.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 18 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for preexisting
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preexisting
Adjective
-
The report builds on previous work at the Pentagon, where Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has pushed legacy contractors to produce weapons faster, introduced accountability for delays and sought to foster competition among firms competing for Defense Department (DOD) contracts.—
Filip Timotija,
The Hill,
21 Apr. 2026
-
After that, global income is fully taxable, a sharp break from the previous system that allowed wealth to remain offshore indefinitely.—
Emma Graham,Sawdah Bhaimiya,
CNBC,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The level of severity of these storms will be determined by how the atmosphere recovers after preceding rain moving through Saturday morning, but enough energy could build up by late Saturday afternoon for some severe storms to develop over the area.—
Kyle Reiman,
ABC News,
18 Apr. 2026
-
But different stages of life offer their own distinct waves of light for artists to shift into shapes, and an appreciation for build-ing off work by preceding writers can also be found in this year’s collection.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Even when Disney brought back Ortega for their Descendants franchise in 2015 — a film about the children of Disney villains — IP took precedent time and time again above the story.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
24 Jan. 2026
-
That’s because precedent changes in small but important ways all the time.—
Sonja Sharp,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
The council, in granting initial approval, said petitioners must provide a full development plan and agree to improvements at the site.—
Deborah Laverty,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Your intense focus can turn initial success into lasting momentum, while positive self-talk prevents burnout if any snags slow the pace.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The original cost was $510,000 but that's gone up by an additional $75,000 due to import tariffs and taxes.—
James Taylor,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Due to building restrictions, the team stuck with the original footprint but were able to extend the height 15 feet, making way for more gracious guest rooms.—
Hannah Martin,
Architectural Digest,
16 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Preexisting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preexisting. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
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