previous to

as in before
earlier than his passport arrived just previous to his trip

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 previous to The actor had lived in the home for some time previous to the renovation, and is seen walking through the bare-bones home sharing stories about each room before the gut job began. Claudia Williams, Architectural Digest, 12 Dec. 2024 In the four years previous to that Flamengo and Palmeiras dominated South American football winning two titles each. Joseph O'Sullivan, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024 The other alleged incident happened previous to the plaintiff’s full-time employment with Ye’s operations, which started in 2021. Dennis Romero, NBC News, 13 Oct. 2024 Pulte lived in Florida previous to his nomination to lead the independent agency, but his family has roots in metro Detroit. Susan Tompor, Freep.com, 14 Jan. 2022 See All Example Sentences for previous to
Recent Examples of Synonyms for previous to
Preposition
  • Wait 30 minutes after the last lightning or thunder before going back outside.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 4 Oct. 2025
  • Jones first rose to prominence during his time as a standout at Syracuse University alongside his younger brother, fellow former NFL star Chandler Jones, from 2006 to 2009, before going on to get drafted in the fifth round of the 2010 NFL Draft.
    Reice Shipley, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Oct. 2025
Preposition
  • The wardrobe and general aesthetic of the character were also already in his mind prior to casting.
    Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Oct. 2025
  • Twenty years prior to the present day of the movie, Ray Stoker (Day-Lewis) abandoned his family to live off the grid in a hut in the woods after a scarring incident during the conflict, which pitted Catholics against Protestants within Northern Ireland, and union loyalists against republicans.
    Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 2 Oct. 2025
Preposition
  • After Swift’s engagement to NFL player Travis Kelce went public in August, local establishments such as Pursuit Spirits and Ten20 Craft Brewery congratulated the famous couple with cheeky Instagram posts.
    Amanda Hancock, Louisville Courier Journal, 2 Oct. 2025
  • Seven of those charged previously pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor and prosecutors moved to dismiss their felony counts.
    Quinlan Bentley, Cincinnati Enquirer, 2 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Previous to.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/previous%20to. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.

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