preceding

American  

[pri-see-ding] / prɪˈsi dɪŋ /

adjective

1. that precedes; previous.

   Refer back to the footnote on the preceding page.

   Synonyms:

   former, prior, foregoing

   Antonyms:

   following, succeeding

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preceding British  

/ prɪˈsiːdɪŋ /

adjective

1. (prenominal) going or coming before; former

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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

First recorded in 1485–95; precede + -ing ²

Example Sentences

There was much intra-Senate grousing and griping and bickering in the days preceding Friday morning’s vote.

From Slate • Mar. 28, 2026

On Thursday, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense said five Chinese aircraft had been spotted in the preceding 24 hours around the island, in addition to six vessels from China’s navy.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 12, 2026

The company disclosed Monday that it had purchased nearly $1.3 billion worth of Bitcoin in the preceding week as the prices of cryptocurrencies broadly wavered.

From Barron's • Mar. 9, 2026

That theory has been tested in Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya – and Iran itself over the preceding eight months.

From Salon • Mar. 4, 2026

Muskogees were probably driven out of Mexico by the Aztecs, Toltecs or some other of the northwestern tribal invasions of the ninth or preceding centuries.

From "An Indigenous People’s History of the United States" by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz

Related Words

• introductory
• previous
• prior