1
as in causes
someone or something responsible for a result
what are the antecedents of the American Revolutionary War?
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2
as in forerunners
something belonging to an earlier time from which something else was later developed
the typewriter is the antecedent of the computer keyboard
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Recent Examples of antecedents
Many of Guardiola’s most famous antecedents — Bill Shankly, Arrigo Sacchi — either resigned or retired because of the strain the job placed on them.
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Rory Smith, The Athletic, 24 Dec. 2024
But what sets the West apart from all its historical antecedents and modern counterparts is precisely its trial-and-error democracies, protected by politically and economically inclusive institutions.
—Vuk Vukovic, TIME, 10 Oct. 2024
The results said much about the foundational beliefs that serve as antecedents to their voting proclivities.
—Dr. Marcus Collins, Forbes, 10 Oct. 2024
Rory Smith, The Athletic, 24 Dec. 2024
But what sets the West apart from all its historical antecedents and modern counterparts is precisely its trial-and-error democracies, protected by politically and economically inclusive institutions.
—Vuk Vukovic, TIME, 10 Oct. 2024
The results said much about the foundational beliefs that serve as antecedents to their voting proclivities.
—Dr. Marcus Collins, Forbes, 10 Oct. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for antecedents
Noun
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Health insurers, too, are increasingly paying to address social determinants of health beyond hospitalizations, physician services, prescription drugs and medical devices.Bruce Japsen, Forbes, 26 Dec. 2024
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Another more than $200 million will be invested in hospital and outpatient programs and services designed in part to address social determinants of health such as expanding access to healthy foods, housing, transportation and prescription drugs.Bruce Japsen, Forbes, 26 Dec. 2024
Noun
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This deep dive into her ancestors, reviving them, was inspired by a challenge from another artist.Rachel Elspeth Gross, Forbes, 2 Jan. 2025
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During the Roman festival of Saturnalia, ancestors of today’s Italians drank and indulged and turned the social order upside down.Jennie Rothenberg Gritz, Smithsonian Magazine, 31 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Biden's commutations for those on death row are also much higher than those of his Democratic predecessors.Deepa Shivaram, NPR, 23 Dec. 2024
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The President has issued more commutations at this point in his presidency than any of his recent predecessors at this point in their first terms.Sophie Clark, Newsweek, 23 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near antecedents
Cite this Entry
“Antecedents.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/antecedents. Accessed 10 Jan. 2025.
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