Synonym Chooser

How is the word anterior distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of anterior are antecedent, foregoing, former, preceding, previous, and prior. While all these words mean "being before," anterior applies to position before or ahead of usually in space, sometimes in time or order.

the anterior lobe of the brain

When might antecedent be a better fit than anterior?

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

conditions antecedent to the revolution

When could foregoing be used to replace anterior?

The words foregoing and anterior are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, foregoing applies chiefly to statements.

the foregoing remarks

When can former be used instead of anterior?

The meanings of former and anterior largely overlap; however, former implies always a definite comparison or contrast with something that is latter.

the former name of the company

In what contexts can preceding take the place of anterior?

While in some cases nearly identical to anterior, preceding usually implies being immediately before in time or in place.

the preceding sentence

How do previous and prior relate to one another, in the sense of anterior?

Both 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

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 anterior That’s why the most common locations for stress reactions are in the bones of the feet, such as the calcaneus, fifth metatarsal, sesamoid, talar neck and tarsal navicular, and in the bones of the legs, such as the anterior tibial cortex, femoral neck and femoral head. Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025 Bringing mice to an enclosure and zapping their feet with tiny electric shocks, then bringing the mice back to the enclosure without zapping their feet, the researchers revealed which neurons are activated in the anterior basolateral amygdala (aBLA) when a mouse learns and unlearns a fear. Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 29 Apr. 2025 Lacking muscle One possibility here is that wnt signaling is widely active in the posterior of the embryo at this point, blocking formation of anterior structures. John Timmer, ArsTechnica, 18 Apr. 2025 The unique traits of Dickinsonia include its bilaterally symmetric, oval shape with a pronounced anterior–posterior axis. Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for anterior
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anterior
Adjective
  • One standout feature of this home is the spacious front porch, which is fully covered to protect you from sun, rain, and snow.
    Genevieve Cepeda, Travel + Leisure, 26 July 2025
  • Imagine waking up in a tented suite with a view of the Sand River and golden savannahs stretching as far as the eye can see and having a front row seat to one of nature’s most dramatic phenomena: the Great Migration.
    Spencer Whaley, Forbes.com, 25 July 2025
Adjective
  • About 44% reported being in poor mental health within the previous month.
    Maia Pandey, jsonline.com, 24 July 2025
  • This year's Run for the Roses also drew in the highest ever average viewership with nearly 18 million viewers, which is up 6% from the previous year.
    Olivia Evans, The Courier-Journal, 24 July 2025
Adjective
  • Our Arapaho and Cheyenne ancestors went directly there to heal after the Sand Creek Massacre in 1864, all the way through our homelands, from South Eastern Colorado, along the Eastern frontal range of the Rocky Mountains, to the heart of Wyoming, all promised in the Treaties of Fort Laramie.
    William C’Hair, Denver Post, 10 July 2025
  • The results depicted that pairs who had shared a painful experience exhibited significantly higher interpersonal brain synchrony (IBS) in key regions of the prefrontal cortex, especially the right superior frontal cortex.
    Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Anterior.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anterior. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.

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