PRECEDING Definition & Meaning

View synonyms for

preceding

[ pri-see-ding ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

adjective

that precedes; previous:
Refer back to the footnote on the preceding page.
Synonyms: , ,
Antonyms: ,

preceding

/ ��ɪˈ��ː��ɪŋ /

adjective

prenominal going or coming before; former

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�y��vlog History and Origins

Origin of preceding¹

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

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Example Sentences

Those migrants accounted for around a quarter of all encounters during the pandemic compared to just 7% of all encounters in the preceding fiscal year.

From

Bourgeois was centrally involved in the try that made the victory safe for France, her mazy run across the field preceding replacement Emilie Boulard adding their third score from close range in the 75th minute.

From

Dequenne revealed in 2023 that she was diagnosed with adrenocortical carcinoma and had shared her cancer journey with fans on social media until the weeks preceding her death.

From

But he can sometimes drift defensively and disappear on offense — he averaged just 3.8 points over the four games preceding his 14-point breakthrough against Wisconsin on Friday.

From

Just in Ontario, one of the most populous cities in San Bernardino County, there had been five earthquakes of magnitude 3 or larger over the month preceding the Oct.

From

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More About Preceding

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.

Where does��preceding come from?

The first records of the word preceding as an adjective come from the late 1400s. Its base word, the verb precede, comes from the Latin ��ŧ��, meaning “to go before,” from prae-, “before,” and ��ŧ��, “to move.”

When something is described as preceding, it is usually being discussed in reference to what follows or has followed it. Preceding is most commonly applied to things in a series. The word previous means the same thing, but it’s used more broadly—you’re more likely to say the previous year or the previous meeting than the preceding year or the preceding meeting.

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What are some other forms related to preceding?

precede (verb)

What are some synonyms for preceding?

previous
precedent (when precedent is used as an adjective)
prior
foregoing
former
earlier

What are some words that share a root or word element with preceding?��

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What are some words that often get used in discussing preceding?

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What are some words preceding may be commonly confused with?

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proceeding

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How is��preceding used in real life?

Preceding is commonly used to describe the previous item in a series or succession.

Textbook: the preceding chapter will allow us to answer the homework
Reality: requires a Phd. tutor, a supercomputer, and Poseidon's Trident

— Jake Smith (@6ft6JakeSmith)

: Mayo Clinic's Research News Roundup is published each month. This article includes brief summaries and links to news releases from the preceding month that discuss some of the latest .

— Mayo Clinic (@MayoClinic)

The following sentence is true. The preceding sentence is false.

— Tanya Osterman (@TanyaOsterman)

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Try using��preceding!

Is preceding used correctly in the following sentence?

We earned more in April than in the three preceding months.

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