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Synonyms

precede

American  
[pri-seed] / prɪˈsid /

verb (used with object)

preceded, preceding
  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.


verb (used without object)

preceded, preceding
  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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • precedable adjective

Etymology

Origin of precede

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

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.

A tally from Global Trade Alert shows that there were many more discriminatory trade policies—including tariffs, export controls and sanctions—introduced in the five years through 2025 than in the preceding five years.

From The Wall Street Journal

It is important to note, though, that many other factors affect the risk of flooding including land use, groundwater extraction, local hydrology and preceding conditions.

From BBC

He faced an agonizing 20-minute wait on the 18th fairway as Jacob Bridgeman, in the preceding group, played a shot from the beach that cracked off a cliff and back into the ocean.

From Barron's

“Sleep disturbances precede most neurodegenerative diseases by up to decades,” she added.

From The Wall Street Journal

McElligott ran the numbers and found that in the past, such extreme dispersion underneath the hood has preceded some major stock-market shocks — including the bursting of the dot-com bubble and the 2008 financial crisis.

From MarketWatch