preexisting 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of preexistingnext
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

preexisting

2 of 2

verb

present participle of preexist
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 preexisting
Adjective
The company also covers undetectable preexisting conditions, rust damage and improper installations. — Sharon Wu, USA Today, 1 May 2026 Most producers have preexisting contracts with plastic suppliers. — Susanne Rust, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026 For example, if a Medicare Advantage plan withdraws from a market or leaves the Medicare program, its enrollees can qualify for a supplemental plan without being asked health questions or charged more for having preexisting conditions. — Julie Appleby, CBS News, 22 Apr. 2026 The employee, whose identity has not been revealed, had a preexisting medical issue and died, Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE. — Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 17 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for preexisting
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preexisting
  1. previous
  2. preceding
  3. precedent
  4. initial
  5. original
Adjective
  • During the 2026 session, Moyle brought a bill that would allow the Attorney General’s Office to sue governments or officials who don’t follow the law, according to previous Statesman reporting.
    — Carolyn Komatsoulis Updated July 13, Idaho Statesman, 14 July 2026
  • The best predictor of how many ticks are likely to be around each year is how many white-footed mice were present the previous summer, Ostfeld told CNN.
    — Meg Tirrell, CNN Money, 14 July 2026
Definition of previous
Verb
  • When this place is eventually gone — a phrase that feels truly bizarre given the environment this summer and the half-century preceding it — the lasting images will be the seas of red.
    — Sam McDowell Updated July 3, Kansas City Star, 4 July 2026
  • Cage’s score is an abstract work based on the Japanese form of collective poetry known as renga, in which each poet attempts to write a line that is as distant as possible in meaning from the preceding line.
    — Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
Definition of preceding
Adjective
  • Their protections may have been further eroded with a precedent decision recently in which the Board of Immigration Appeals determined that DACA status alone is not enough to stop deportation.
    — Hallie Golden, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2026
  • These tools can generate a first-draft NDA within seconds by drawing on vast training libraries of precedent agreements and current market standards.
    — AllBusiness, Forbes.com, 18 Mar. 2026
Definition of precedent
Adjective
  • The initial proof of principle by the Normal team served as an inspiration for Whitelam, who recently reported a simulation of a nonequilibrium thermodynamic computing circuit.
    — Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 15 July 2026
  • The initial broadcast sparked protests and complaints from viewers, advertisers, and conservative activists, leading some CBS affiliates to exclude the episode from their lineup of reruns the following summer.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 15 July 2026
Definition of initial
Adjective
  • The foursome began a two-year, multi-million-dollar journey that preserved the building’s original craftsmanship while modernizing the design, plumbing, and electrical.
    — Michael Goldstein, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026
  • Watching repeat episodes of the original TV series from the ’70s and reading Laura Ingalls Wilder’s books for school, Travers developed a deep appreciation for the expansive representation of pioneer life that Wilder created on the page.
    — Kristen Tauer, Footwear News, 10 July 2026
Definition of original

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Cite this Entry

“Preexisting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preexisting. Accessed 17 Jul. 2026.

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