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.
Like any infection, the most at risk are the elderly, those with weaker immune systems, and people with pre-existing health problems.
From Barron's • May 4, 2026
Following a highly successful Rugby World Cup last year, supporter numbers in the UK climbed from 7.94m pre-existing fans of women's rugby to 13.21m, according to research commissioned by BBC Sport.
From BBC • Apr. 10, 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
There is only one other known case of burrowing bees nesting inside a cave, and none where bees used pre-existing fossil structures without altering them.
From Science Daily • Apr. 3, 2026
It is easy to say that our world has been made by science or by technology, but scientific and technological progress depend on a pre-existing assumption, the assumption that there are discoveries to be made.
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.