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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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
Marley Malenfant, Austin American Statesman, 26 July 2025
My collaborators have preexisting software, which will, every night, get new observations of all the small bodies and objects in the solar system.
—Darryl Z. Seligman, The Conversation, 3 July 2025
The Legislature injecting itself between two parties to rewrite preexisting contracts would create terrible precedent.
—Jay Neveloff, New York Daily News, 11 June 2025
On Tuesday morning, an orange zone highlighted that the affected areas were experiencing particulate matter or ozone pollution levels in the 101-150 range, and thus were unhealthy for sensitive groups such as children, older adults or those with preexisting conditions.
—Joe Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for preexisting
Adjective
According to a news release from Dallas County Health and Human Services, the man was in his 60s and had preexisting medical conditions that were not specified.
—Marley Malenfant, Austin American Statesman, 26 July 2025
My collaborators have preexisting software, which will, every night, get new observations of all the small bodies and objects in the solar system.
—Darryl Z. Seligman, The Conversation, 3 July 2025
The Legislature injecting itself between two parties to rewrite preexisting contracts would create terrible precedent.
—Jay Neveloff, New York Daily News, 11 June 2025
On Tuesday morning, an orange zone highlighted that the affected areas were experiencing particulate matter or ozone pollution levels in the 101-150 range, and thus were unhealthy for sensitive groups such as children, older adults or those with preexisting conditions.
—Joe Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for preexisting
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preexisting
Adjective
-
Some experts cited previous waves of political violence, such as a spate of assassinations in the late 1960s, which predated online platforms.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
25 Sep. 2025
-
In principle, a CNTR rocket can double the specific impulse provided by previous nuclear thermal rocket designs dating back to the 1950s (and still being worked on by NASA and DARPA today) as well as quadruple that which can be achieved by chemical rockets.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
His other goal in his preceding 24 appearances — stabbed in from close range from a corner in another 6-0 Carabao Cup win, this time at Oxford United in round two — was mundane by comparison.—
Andy Naylor,
New York Times,
24 Sep. 2025
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There are no details in the report about the assault or preceding events.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
24 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
That’s because precedent changes in small but important ways all the time.—
Sonja Sharp,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Feb. 2025
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This adaptation demands re-conceiving large chunks of plot from the ground-up while retaining Liu’s themes, not to mention visualizing concepts with less precedent onscreen than the fantasy tropes Martin deployed and subverted.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
9 Mar. 2024
Adjective
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Most Venezuelans in similar situations have only received the initial receipt notice, a valid document that provides protection under TPS.—
Syra Ortiz Blanes,
Miami Herald,
27 Sep. 2025
-
The modified molecule is more easily reduced during the battery’s initial charge.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
27 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Consider taking screenshots of booking pages that show the original flight times and prices.—
Christopher Elliott,
USA Today,
29 Sep. 2025
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As a media brand whose mission is to elevate depth, nuance, and original reporting in an algorithmic environment that rewards shouting, the vertical strategy provides a unique lane for The Dispatch to grow membership and revenue.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
28 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Preexisting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preexisting. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.
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