FORERUNNER Synonyms: 54 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'forerunner' distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of forerunner are harbinger , herald , and precursor . While all these words mean "one that goes before or announces the coming of another," forerunner is applicable to anything that serves as a sign or presage. // the blockade was the forerunner of war

Q: How do 'harbinger' and 'herald' relate to one another, in the sense of 'forerunner'?

Harbinger and herald both apply, chiefly figuratively, to one that proclaims or announces the coming or arrival of a notable event. // their early victory was the harbinger of a winning season // the herald of a new age in medicine

Q: When would 'precursor' be a good substitute for 'forerunner'?

The synonyms precursor and forerunner are sometimes interchangeable, but precursor applies to a person or thing paving the way for the success or accomplishment of another. // 18th century poets like Burns were precursors of the Romantics

forerunner

noun

ˈfȯr-ˌrə-nər

Definition of forerunner

as in precursor

one that announces or indicates the later arrival of another the return of the swallows is traditionally regarded as a forerunner of spring

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in ancestor

something belonging to an earlier time from which something else was later developed enjoyed the demonstration of the simple hand loom that was the forerunner of today's computer-controlled looms

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word forerunner distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of forerunner are harbinger, herald, and precursor. While all these words mean "one that goes before or announces the coming of another," forerunner is applicable to anything that serves as a sign or presage.

the blockade was the forerunner of war

How do harbinger and herald relate to one another, in the sense of forerunner?

Harbinger and herald both apply, chiefly figuratively, to one that proclaims or announces the coming or arrival of a notable event.

their early victory was the harbinger of a winning season

the herald of a new age in medicine

When would precursor be a good substitute for forerunner?

The synonyms precursor and forerunner are sometimes interchangeable, but precursor applies to a person or thing paving the way for the success or accomplishment of another.

18th century poets like Burns were precursors of the Romantics

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 forerunner One of the forerunners today in Madeira and the Azores is António Maçanita from Azores Wine Company. — Forbes.com, 20 July 2026 The city had a history of assimilating such yearners, most notably Madonna, Swift’s forerunner and her own Middle American transplant success story. — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 3 July 2026 The group, which includes Chrysler, Fiat, Peugeot and Citroen, is becoming a forerunner in the promising progress of a new type of vehicle battery. — New Atlas, 15 June 2026 In 2007, the Oatley family opened Qualia, their 30-acre flagship property and the forerunner of Australia’s luxury lodges. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for forerunner

Recent Examples of Synonyms for forerunner

Noun

The three have also introduced tax plans that could be precursors to 2028 platforms.

— Jared Ochacher, CBS News, 20 Oct. 2026
Perhaps the clearest precursor to the complicated racial dynamics of deepfake memes is what happened on TikTok at the turn of the decade.

— Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of precursor

Noun

Federal policy now allows businesses to deduct domestic research costs immediately, leaving more capital available for engineers, prototypes, and equipment.

— Rick Lazio, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
However, the device remains a laboratory prototype based on an individual molecule held between gold electrodes.

— Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of prototype

Noun

Chain bookselling, which enabled the unification of the reading market, was one of the first heralds of a globalizing age.

— Nathan Heller, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
This increasingly seamless connection between runway collections and store stock heralds a new meaning for commercial, repositioning the role of the runway.

— Joe Bobowicz, Vogue, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of herald

Noun

Every year after Halloween, Spirit Halloween’s stores empty out and the signs come down.

— Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
One particularly promising example is an MRI technique that identifies the central vein sign, a feature that can help physicians distinguish lesions associated with MS from abnormalities caused by other conditions.

— Bruce Bebo, STAT, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of sign

Browse Nearby Words

forerun

forerunner

forerunners

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Style

“Forerunner.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forerunner. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of forerunner

noun

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