Synonym Chooser

How is the word previous distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of previous are antecedent, anterior, foregoing, former, preceding, and prior. While all these words mean "being before," previous and prior imply existing or occurring earlier, but prior often adds an implication of greater importance.

a child from a previous marriage
a prior obligation

Where would antecedent be a reasonable alternative to previous?

The synonyms antecedent and previous are sometimes interchangeable, but antecedent applies to order in time and may suggest a causal relation.

conditions antecedent to the revolution

In what contexts can anterior take the place of previous?

While the synonyms anterior and previous are close in meaning, anterior applies to position before or ahead of usually in space, sometimes in time or order.

the anterior lobe of the brain

When might foregoing be a better fit than previous?

In some situations, the words foregoing and previous are roughly equivalent. However, foregoing applies chiefly to statements.

the foregoing remarks

When is it sensible to use former instead of previous?

Although the words former and previous have much in common, former implies always a definite comparison or contrast with something that is latter.

the former name of the company

When can preceding be used instead of previous?

The meanings of preceding and previous largely overlap; however, preceding usually implies being immediately before in time or in place.

the preceding sentence

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 Their son, Monty, was born in 2017, with each having one child from their previous marriages. Luke Smith, New York Times, 11 July 2025 Faulk also received $392 from the foundation the previous year. Jeffrey Schweers, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 July 2025 Economists polled by Dow Jones are expecting an increase of 2,000 to 235,000 from the previous week. Medora Lee, USA Today, 11 July 2025 As a result, early educators were notified they would be laid off on June 30 when the previous grant expired, and families were forced to find other child care options starting on June 4. Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for previous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for previous
Adjective
  • In the preceding month, Gamestop also closed its NFT marketplace, just months after removing support for its NFT wallet.
    Nicholas Kitonyi, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
  • Most of those were seized on Oct. 7, 2023, but others were taken hostage in the preceding decade, and a substantial number are no longer alive.
    Jerome Socolovsky, NPR, 19 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Also adding to the cash injection for Kaleidoscope are prior investors like The Raine Group, former MTV leader Tom Freston and venture capital firm Nimble Ventures.
    Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 14 July 2025
  • These trips are an important opportunity to spend time with producers, review the prior year’s crop, taste coffees as they are being harvested, and meet new partners that are aligned with our company’s emphasis on organic production and benchmark quality.
    Christopher Marquis, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
Adjective
  • The National Weather Service on Thursday advised of potential flooding and then sent out a series of flash flood warnings in the early hours of Friday before issuing flash flood emergencies — a rare alert notifying of imminent danger.
    Brit Morse, Fortune, 7 July 2025
  • Then, Messi made up for the early error with a spectacular go-ahead goal, weaving his way through four defenders and then curling a perfect low shot to the far low corner.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 6 July 2025
Adjective
  • That's because the initial yield of NASA's Kepler space telescope, which discovered nearly 3,000 planets in its nine years of operation, relied on worlds transiting — passing between their star and Earth.
    Nola Taylor Tillman, Space.com, 15 July 2025
  • But xAI’s Grok took a very different route in the initial rounds of testing.
    Hadas Gold, CNN Money, 15 July 2025
Adjective
  • Immigration attorneys said that ICE is targeting those who have been in the country less than two years, those with deportation orders and those enrolled in former President Joe Biden’s parole program.
    Livi Stanford, Hartford Courant, 14 July 2025
  • Singer and actress Dua Lipa and American actor turned racer Patrick Dempsey were spotted at the event, while popular F1 names included Williams team principal James Vowles, McLaren CEO Zak Brown, former F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone, and the Haas F1 team.
    Saajan Jogia, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 July 2025
Adjective
  • That’s because precedent changes in small but important ways all the time.
    Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2025
  • That’s because precedent changes in small but important ways all the time.
    Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • The current lineup of Jay & The Americans has one original member, 82-year-old harmony vocalist Sandy Deane Yaguda.
    George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 July 2025
  • Similar to the original series, Shippuden’s staggering block of 500 episodes is best enjoyed interspersed with the feature films.
    Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 12 July 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Previous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/previous. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on previous

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!