pre-existing
Britishadjective
Other Word Forms
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It defines External link illegal insider trading as “misappropriation of confidential information in breach of a pre-existing duty of trust and confidence to the source of the information.”
From Barron's • May 7, 2026
"I did my research and then started to kind of brainstorm what those ideas could be and how I could integrate my own musicality into the pre-existing world of Devil Wears Prada."
From BBC • May 1, 2026
Instead, Smith, who is healthy, bought a cheaper, short-term medical plan that doesn’t cover pre-existing health conditions or mental-health services, among other gaps.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026
Another consideration before you step onto a cruise ship, boat or train: Most standard travel-insurance policies do not cover pre-existing medical conditions like Alzheimer’s disease.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 9, 2026
Telescopes and microscopes depended on pre-existing techniques for making lenses, and thermometers and barometers depended on pre-existing techniques for blowing glass.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
