proceed
Americanverb (used without object)
-
proceeds,
present (3rd person singular)
-
proceeded,
past participle, past
-
proceeding
present participle
-
to move or go forward or onward, especially after stopping.
- Antonyms:
- recede
-
to carry on or continue any action or process.
-
to go on to do something.
-
to continue one's discourse.
-
Law.
-
to begin and carry on a legal action.
-
to take legal action (usually followed byagainst ).
-
-
to be carried on, as an action or process.
-
to go or come forth; issue (often followed byfrom ).
- Synonyms:
- emanate
-
to arise, originate, or result (usually followed byfrom ).
noun
-
proceeds,
-
something that results or accrues.
-
the total amount derived from a sale or other transaction.
The proceeds from the deal were divided equally among us.
-
the profits or returns from a sale, investment, etc.
-
-
Archaic. proceeds.
verb
-
(often foll by to) to advance or carry on, esp after stopping
-
(often foll by with) to undertake and continue (something or to do something)
he proceeded with his reading
-
(often foll by against) to institute or carry on a legal action
-
to emerge or originate; arise
evil proceeds from the heart
Synonym Usage
See advance.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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proceedsimple
-
proceedssimple
-
have proceededperfect
-
has proceededperfect
-
am proceedingprogressive
-
are proceedingprogressive
-
is proceedingprogressive
-
have been proceedingperfect progressive
-
has been proceedingperfect progressive
Past
-
proceededsimple
-
had proceededperfect
-
was proceedingprogressive
-
were proceedingprogressive
-
had been proceedingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of proceed
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English procede, from Latin prōcēdere; see pro- 1, cede
Explanation
To proceed means to go or continue forward. But somehow "ready, set, proceed!" doesn't quite have the same ring to it. From the Latin procedere, meaning “go forward, advance,” proceed is a verb that simply means to keep going, particularly after there’s been an interruption. Synonyms include progress and advance. People who constantly interrupt make it really difficult for the conversation to proceed smoothly. And proceed with caution when crossing a busy street, but if the light turns red, you better move it fast!
Vocabulary lists containing proceed
Power Prefix: pro
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Beowulf vocabulary
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UCPS 6th Grade Roots List #1
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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.
See Examples For:
Michael Shanks seemed to suggest that John Swinney knows fine well why this project can't proceed.
From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026
The result provides a possible explanation for how some of the earliest metabolic reactions could have obtained the energy needed to proceed before modern biological energy systems evolved.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 12, 2026
Installing Baka as president signals a "guarantee that the restoration of liberal democracy will proceed along a clearly defined path," Bulcsu Zsiga, from the Centre for Fair Political Analysis, told AFP.
From Barron's ● Aug. 11, 2026
Once the current site owners do a facility investigation, the agency will know how to proceed with cleanup, “which may, if necessary, include testing nearby homes,” Pakkidis said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
As we proceed down the trail, Dad brushes his hands against the trees and leaves and bushes.
From "Clairboyance" by Kristiana Kahakauwila
If you go through with another 1031 exchange and buy a new rental, you can defer this capital gain by reinvesting all proceeds.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 17, 2026
Sotheby's said all proceeds of the sale will be donated to the Ferrari Foundation's educational programmes.
From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026
Tariff refunds have exceeded $100 billion, with companies treating the proceeds as a one-time windfall to increase marketing budgets and offset costs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026
He took proceeds of the deal, around $20 million, and started the investment firm Directional Aviation, which made him a billionaire years later.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 15, 2026
A form of history which presents itself as acutely sensitive to the language of people in the past proceeds by dismissing out of hand what they said, over and over again, about themselves.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
Although Perez’s livestream proceeded for around 15 minutes before it was shut down, screenshots and clips rocketed across the internet, invading countless social media feeds.
From Salon ● Aug. 6, 2026
Sterling Nasa proceeded to stun composer-conductor Justin Hurwitz and the 2,000-person audience with his flawless, impromptu performance.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 3, 2026
Some observations of the distant Universe suggest that expansion may have proceeded somewhat more slowly in the past than the standard cosmological model predicts.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 2, 2026
She proceeded to remove, prime and reset the fuel filter.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 1, 2026
“I have not examined it yet,” I answered, and then and there proceeded to loose the band.
From "Dracula" by Bram Stoker
Orsted said it made significant progress on its construction portfolio, with all projects proceeding on schedule and within planned costs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
Article 3 courts decide cases and controversies, and a proceeding in which both sides want the same outcome is neither.
From Slate ● Aug. 10, 2026
It also said that "ongoing negotiations regarding navigation arrangements in the Strait of Hormuz are proceeding in a positive and constructive atmosphere", and urged against any actions that might jeopardise the progress.
From Barron's ● Aug. 8, 2026
You think you’re supposed to be doing something, but it’s possible that what you should be doing is just proceeding onward as planned.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 6, 2026
Brain research is proceeding at an amazing pace, with countless new studies and discoveries appearing every year.
From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin
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.
