antecedent

12 synonyms and 4 antonyms for antecedent, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Noun — In grammar, the word or phrase that a pronoun refers back to.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

root origin prior previous earlier

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

ancestor precursor predecessor preceding

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

ascendent forerunner ascendant

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.”

ancestor ascendent forerunner root ascendant

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.”

forerunner precursor predecessor origin

Opposites

consequence successor

3. adjective formal

Coming before something in time or order.

“No antecedent agreement covered this situation.”

prior previous preceding earlier

Opposites

subsequent later

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'.

People also searched

later previous earlier prior origin subsequent root consequence successor preceding predecessor ancestor

Nearby words

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