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Definitions

precondition

[pree-kuhn-dish-uhn] / ˌpri kənˈdɪʃ ən /
NOUN
condition
Synonyms
STRONGEST
arrangement essential necessity prerequisite provision qualification requirement requisite stipulation
STRONG
article catch codicil contingency demand exception exemption kicker modification must must-have need postulate proviso reservation rule strings terms
WEAK
fine print sine qua non small print
Antonyms
STRONGEST
nonessential

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.

Azerbaijan sees the opening of regional communications as the main precondition for signing a comprehensive peace treaty with its rival.

From Barron's • Feb. 9, 2026

“A lower cost of capital as rates comes down can help provide some extra juice, but that is not a precondition for markets to go higher,” Helfstein said.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 25, 2026

“It’s a precondition for all the copper projects.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 11, 2025

One really important form of social attention is so elemental to human life that it is the necessary precondition to survive.

From Salon • Feb. 27, 2025

Nevertheless, his idealized parabolic trajectory in a vacuum was an essential precondition for the much more sophisticated analysis by Robins and Euler of actual trajectories.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton