PREDATE Synonyms: 8 Similar and Opposite Words

predate

verb

(ˌ)prē-ˈdāt

Definition of predate

as in to precede

to go or come before in time gunpowder predated the invention of the gun by several centuries

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 predate The mandatory three-minute warning, which is part of an agreement between the Pentagon and the Federal Aviation Administration, predated last year’s mid-air collision. — David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 27 Aug. 2026 In many cases, the entries predate the AI era and were first included in non-LLM files on a website. — Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 27 Aug. 2026 Sources said this deal predates the arrival of Austin’s new sporting director Khaled El-Ahmad, as the team was continuing summer work as El-Ahmad took over officially from Minnesota this week. — Tom Bogert, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026 More than half of its 2,400 miles cross Indian Country, often following older Native paths through communities that predated it. — Harry Bruinius, Christian Science Monitor, 24 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for predate

Recent Examples of Synonyms for predate

precede

Verb

Both companies will deliver results on the heels of rivals that raised the bar, with Nvidia preceding Broadcom and CrowdStrike as the appetizer for Palo Alto.

— Kevin Stankiewicz,Zev Fima, CNBC, 30 Aug. 2026
The internationally recognized Israel, with the borders that preceded its 1967 conquests?

— David D. Kirkpatrick, New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of precede

Browse Nearby Words

predaceous

predate

predated

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Predate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/predate. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of predate

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

conscientious

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Popular in Wordplay

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes