Meaning & use
antedate
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Meanings
verbtransitiveformal
To be earlier in time than something else; to precede in date.
Grammar: Takes an object: The invention of the telephone antedates the radio.
Patterns
- something antedates something
- antedate something by a number of years
The pyramids antedate the Roman Empire by thousands of years.
His interest in music antedates his formal training.
The fossil antedates any previously found in the region.
verbtransitiveformal
To assign a date earlier than the actual one to a document or event.
Grammar: Takes an object: They antedated the contract to meet the deadline.
Patterns
- antedate a document
- antedate a check
The letter was antedated to appear as if it had been sent earlier.
He antedated the check so it could be cashed immediately.
Forging an antedated document is illegal.
Word forms
| third person singular | antedates |
|---|---|
| past tense | antedated |
| past participle | antedated |
| -ing form | antedating |
Common combinations
- antedate by
- The manuscript antedates the printed edition by fifty years.
- antedate the invention of
- These tools antedate the invention of the wheel.
- antedate a letter
- She antedated the letter to make it seem timely.
Synonyms and how they differ
- predate
- Predate is the common everyday word for being earlier in time; antedate is more formal and also means to assign an earlier date.
- precede
- Precede means to come before in order or time, but it does not mean to assign an earlier date.
Opposites
Word family
- antedated adjective
- Having an earlier date than is true or expected.
Commonly confused: antedate or postdate?
antedate vs postdate
Postdate means to assign a later date or to come after in time; antedate is the opposite.
Practice
The invention of the wheel ___ the invention of the car.
Choose one answer.
The sentence needs a third-person singular verb to agree with 'invention'. 'Antedates' means comes before in time. 'Postdates' would mean comes after, which is incorrect historically.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “antedate”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.