antecedent
4 antonyms for antecedent — opposites grouped by meaning.
Noun — In grammar, the word or phrase that a pronoun refers back to.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. noun technical
In grammar, the word or phrase that a pronoun refers back to.
“In 'Maya lost her keys', the antecedent of 'her' is Maya.”
2. noun formal
A thing or event that came before something else and helped lead to it.
“Historians trace the antecedents of the revolt to the famine of the previous decade.”
Opposites
Antonyms
How to use antecedent
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
clear antecedent
pronoun antecedent
historical antecedents
antecedent conditions
Technical in grammar and logic; formal elsewhere.
Etymology
From Latin antecedere 'to go before', from ante- 'before' and cedere 'to go'.
Full origin of antecedent →Frequently asked questions
What is an antecedent in grammar?
It is the noun or noun phrase that a pronoun stands in for. In 'the dog wagged its tail', 'the dog' is the antecedent of 'its'. Good writing keeps the antecedent close enough and clear enough that no reader has to guess.
What is the difference between antecedent and precedent?
An antecedent is simply something that came earlier. A precedent is an earlier case or action that is treated as a model or authority for what to do now, which is why the word dominates in law.
What is pronoun-antecedent agreement?
It is the rule that a pronoun should match its antecedent in number and, where relevant, gender. 'Each student brought their book' is now widely accepted, but older style guides would insist on 'his or her book'.
