precede

American  

[pri-seed] / prɪˈsid /

verb (used with object)

• precedes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• preceded,
  past participle,  past
• preceding
  present participle

1. 

   to go before, as in place, order, rank, importance, or time.

2. to introduce by something preliminary; preface.

   to precede one's statement with a qualification.

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verb (used without object)

• precedes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• preceded,
  past participle,  past
• preceding
  present participle

1. to go or come before.

noun

1. Journalism. copy printed at the beginning of a news story presenting late bulletins, editorial notes, or prefatory remarks.

precede British  

/ prɪˈsiːd /

verb

1. to go or be before (someone or something) in time, place, rank, etc

2. (tr) to preface or introduce

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• precedable
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• preceding
  present
• preceded
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• precede
  simple
• precedes
  simple
• have preceded
  perfect
• has preceded
  perfect
• am preceding
  progressive
• are preceding
  progressive
• is preceding
  progressive
• have been preceding
  perfect progressive
• has been preceding
  perfect progressive

Past

• preceded
  simple
• had preceded
  perfect
• was preceding
  progressive
• were preceding
  progressive
• had been preceding
  perfect progressive

Future

• will precede
  simple
• will have preceded
  perfect
• will be preceding
  progressive
• will have been preceding
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of precede

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English preceden, from Latin praecēdere; see pre-, cede

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Explanation

To precede is to come before. A short speech will precede the dinner. As you walk down the garden path, the bed of roses precedes the holly bush. When marching into the room, the younger kids precede the older ones. Precede is one of many verbs ending in "-ceed" or "-cede" that trace their roots back to the Latin word cedere which means "to go." For precede, know that it's pre "first" + cedere "go." When you precede, you go first. You might precede your best friend in line, lunch might precede math class, a joke might precede a lecture, and radio preceded television. Anything that goes first or comes before precedes.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

precede precedes preceded preceding

This research helped inspire the idea of using vitamin C as a form of early intervention, potentially targeting the biological changes that precede the development of leukemia.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 20, 2026

Their only titles, for example, precede the Bundesliga era.

From BBC ● Oct. 10, 2026

If completed, the new round would precede the company’s initial public offering, now expected next year.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 16, 2026

Research analysts are barred from joining investment bankers on the road shows that precede stock offerings.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 31, 2026

He pulled back the curtain and let me precede him onto the stage.

From "The Shakespeare Stealer" by Gary L. Blackwood

All participants had a live conversation with a clinician and a professional interpreter, simulating the informational discussion of the risks and benefits which typically precedes myeloma treatment.

From Slate ● Oct. 16, 2026

The interview precedes a planned visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to Washington, D.C., where he’s expected to meet with U.S.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 23, 2026

World number one Henry Patten will team up with new US Open champion Neal Skupski for Sunday's doubles, which precedes two reverse singles.

From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026

Researchers do not yet know whether deterioration of superficial white matter begins before gray matter loss, develops alongside it, or precedes measurable cognitive decline.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 14, 2026

It is a characteristic of a predator to become invisible to its prey during the quiet and sometimes lengthy stalk that precedes an explosive attack.

From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston

If those winds are preceded by sufficient rains, the risk of large fires is dampened.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 22, 2026

Officials have not released details about what preceded the fall.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2026

The problem led to several cars, including those of the two multiple world champions who were sharing the front row of the grid, not working in the wet conditions that preceded the race.

From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026

Dev Ittycheria, who preceded Desai as MongoDB’s CEO, returned to lead the database company on an interim basis.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026

Despite my resistance to the hype that had preceded him, I found myself admiring Barack for both his self-assuredness and his earnest demeanor.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama

In 2020 Network Rail said Trafle Mill bridge in Gowerton, Swansea, had been hit 33 times in the preceding decade, the most of any bridge in Wales and the border areas.

From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2026

Net profit reached $8.3 billion in the period from July to September, up from $5.4 billion in the preceding three months.

From Barron's ● Oct. 29, 2026

He led the company through the telecom nuclear winter of the early 2000s, which was more economically devastating than the preceding dot-com bust.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026

UC Agriculture and Natural Resources climate scientist Daniel Swain also placed blame on a months-long marine heatwave preceding El Niño, as well as human-caused climate change.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 12, 2026

The door opened slowly as Miss Trixie made her day’s entrance, a large bag preceding her.

From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole

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Related Words

• anticipate
• foreshadow
• predate
• presage

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