preexist
verb
pre·ex·ist
ˌprē-ig-ˈzist 
preexisted; preexisting; preexists
: to exist earlier or before
Examples of preexist in a Sentence
an advanced Mesoamerican civilization whose apex and collapse preexisted the arrival of Europeans by hundreds of years
Recent Examples on the Web
Along with producer Prince Paul, the hip-hop trio known as De La Soul pioneered a new sound comprising samples from other artists, weaving preexisting clips in and out to create innovative, original songs.
—
Christian Schneider, National Review, 22 June 2023
The ordinance would add a ban on public consumption of drugs such as fentanyl, cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine to the city’s preexisting prohibition on public alcohol use.
—oregonlive, 22 June 2023
See all Example Sentences for preexist 
Christian Schneider, National Review, 22 June 2023
The ordinance would add a ban on public consumption of drugs such as fentanyl, cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine to the city’s preexisting prohibition on public alcohol use.
—oregonlive, 22 June 2023
See all Example Sentences for preexist
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'preexist.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near preexist
Cite this Entry
“Preexist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/preexist. Accessed 29 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
preexist
verb
pre·ex·ist
ˌprē-ig-ˈzist
: to exist before something else
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share