Synonym Chooser

How is the word previous distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of previous are antecedent, anterior, foregoing, former, preceding, and prior. While all these words mean "being before," previous and prior imply existing or occurring earlier, but prior often adds an implication of greater importance.

a child from a previous marriage
a prior obligation

Where would antecedent be a reasonable alternative to previous?

The synonyms antecedent and previous are sometimes interchangeable, but antecedent applies to order in time and may suggest a causal relation.

conditions antecedent to the revolution

In what contexts can anterior take the place of previous?

While the synonyms anterior and previous are close in meaning, anterior applies to position before or ahead of usually in space, sometimes in time or order.

the anterior lobe of the brain

When might foregoing be a better fit than previous?

In some situations, the words foregoing and previous are roughly equivalent. However, foregoing applies chiefly to statements.

the foregoing remarks

When is it sensible to use former instead of previous?

Although the words former and previous have much in common, former implies always a definite comparison or contrast with something that is latter.

the former name of the company

When can preceding be used instead of previous?

The meanings of preceding and previous largely overlap; however, preceding usually implies being immediately before in time or in place.

the preceding sentence

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 previous And Israel itself has never attempted such a campaign in previous conflicts in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, or even in its most recent operation in Gaza. Robert A. Pape, Foreign Affairs, 17 June 2025 More news: Dell Curry Drops Major Update on Steph Curry's NBA Future Though the Pacers and Thunder have been close by the time halftime rolled around in previous matchups, the Thunder have dominated Game 5. James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 June 2025 The previous Purdue bankruptcy settlement was struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court last year. Alex Sundby june 17, CBS News, 17 June 2025 Around this time, Cambodia took to the ICJ again to interpret its earlier 1962 ruling, and the court affirmed its previous decision two years later. Chad De Guzman, Time, 17 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for previous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for previous
Adjective
  • In the preceding month, Gamestop also closed its NFT marketplace, just months after removing support for its NFT wallet.
    Nicholas Kitonyi, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
  • Most of those were seized on Oct. 7, 2023, but others were taken hostage in the preceding decade, and a substantial number are no longer alive.
    Jerome Socolovsky, NPR, 19 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Coastal Carolina’s Road To College World Series Finals On the other side stands a very different challenger: Coastal Carolina, a program with only one prior national title, but a team currently riding a wave of unprecedented momentum.
    Giovanni Malloy, Forbes.com, 21 June 2025
  • John Hamburg, who co-wrote all three prior films, wrote the screenplay for the new feature and is set to direct.
    Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 20 June 2025
Adjective
  • City Comptroller Brad Lander was in third place in the early returns, pulling about 12% in the unofficial results, tallies showed.
    Josephine Stratman, New York Daily News, 25 June 2025
  • The New York City Board of Elections reported that its unofficial count of early votes in 2025 is 384,338, while AMNY reported that the board said 191,197 people voted early in 2021.
    James Powel, USA Today, 24 June 2025
Adjective
  • Pele made it 3-1, then Zagallo put the game to bed with Brazil’s fourth after his initial corner was not cleared.
    Michael Cox, New York Times, 22 June 2025
  • In the initial preemptive attack, Israel hit the same three sites targeted by the U.S. Several top Iranian nuclear scientists and the top general in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps were killed in the operation, according to Iran.
    Luis Martinez, ABC News, 22 June 2025
Adjective
  • California politics: In the June 18 Section A, a column about U.S. senators running for governor said former California Gov. George Deukmejian was term limited.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2025
  • Rachel Zegler is starring in one of London’s hottest West End productions right now, as former first lady of Argentina Eva Perón, in Evita.
    Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 20 June 2025
Adjective
  • That’s because precedent changes in small but important ways all the time.
    Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2025
  • That’s because precedent changes in small but important ways all the time.
    Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • The first-stage booster that had been tapped during the original attempts was discarded for a new booster.
    Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 June 2025
  • The first trailer for the game begins with a conversation between M, Bond’s classic superior and occasional foil, and Greenway, an original character described by IO Interactive’ website as a mentor figure (although no voice actors for the roles have been announced).
    Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 18 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Previous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/previous. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.

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