preceding
Americanadjective
adjective
Usage
What does preceding mean? Preceding means coming before. A close synonym is previous. As an adjective, preceding is always used before a noun, as in the preceding chapter. Preceding can also be used as the continuous tense (-ing form) of the verb precede, which means to come before. In most cases, the opposite of preceding is following, meaning coming after. For example, if you’re reading Chapter 7, the preceding chapter is Chapter 6, and the following chapter is Chapter 8. Example: The seventh book in the series features many of the same characters as the six preceding novels.
Etymology
Origin of preceding
Explanation
Something is preceding if it comes directly before. The preceding sentence is not so much a definition of the word preceding as a description of it. To cede is to give way, so when you use preceding to describe, say, a person, you’re essentially describing him as the one that just gave way. Previous is a good synonyms. If you are in 11th grade now, you were in 10th grade in the preceding year. And a persistent person will keep asking for something even if "no" has been the answer the 10 preceding times he or she has asked.
Vocabulary lists containing preceding
Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Novel Study: The Scarlet Letter, Chapters 16–24
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Little Rock Girl 1957
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Preceding the trend of opinion polls, it introduced 'We took Ten,' where 10 randomly chosen young people voiced their opinions on various topics.
From BBC • Dec. 27, 2023
Preceding the Grecale, though, will be electric versions of the GranTurismo sports coupe and GranCabriolet convertible.
From The Verge • Mar. 22, 2022
Preceding that was a 5-13 conference record in 2019-20, good for a 12th-place finish.
From Seattle Times • Feb. 2, 2022
I’m about to go on tour, so the unread “Signs Preceding the End of the World,” by Yuri Herrera, will happily come with me on the road.
From New York Times • Sep. 5, 2019
Preceding this car were some people dressed in a fantastic manner which made children cry and babies scream.
From Friars and Filipinos An Abridged Translation of Dr. Jose Rizal's Tagalog Novel, 'Noli Me Tangere.' by Rizal, José
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.
