preceding

1 of 2

adjective

pre·​ced·​ing pri-ˈsē-diŋ How to pronounce preceding (audio)
Synonyms of preceding
: existing, coming, or occurring immediately before in time or place
the preceding day
preceding paragraphs

preceding

2 of 2

present participle of precede

Synonyms of preceding

Relevance

Adjective

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Choose the Right Synonym for preceding

preceding, antecedent, foregoing, previous, prior, former, anterior mean being before.

preceding usually implies being immediately before in time or in place.

the preceding sentence

antecedent applies to order in time and may suggest a causal relation.

conditions antecedent to the revolution

foregoing applies chiefly to statements.

the foregoing remarks

previous and prior imply existing or occurring earlier, but prior often adds an implication of greater importance.

a child from a previous marriage
a prior obligation

former implies always a definite comparison or contrast with something that is latter.

the former name of the company

anterior applies to position before or ahead of usually in space, sometimes in time or order.

the anterior lobe of the brain

Examples of preceding in a Sentence

Adjective The once refulgent reign of Queen Elizabeth had come to a stale and frustrated end in the preceding year, and a new monarch had been imported from Scotland … —Christopher Hitchens, New York Times Book Review, 18 May 2003
The building code, layered with attempts to correct the ignorance of preceding generations, is a set of rules for coping with some of the most unruly moods of the land: mudslides, wildfires, steep slopes, a dearth of water and a surfeit of seismic activity. —Timothy Egan, New York Times, 20 Feb. 1994
I have had a fever of about three weeks during the last and preceding month, from which I am entirely recovered except as to strength. —Thomas Jefferson, letter, 4 Sept. 1823
The preceding week he had been on vacation. had not eaten since the preceding day
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
In those days, the Emirati air force and air defense were much more modest than today, outmatched in quality and quantity by Iran’s air and naval forces built in the preceding decade by the last shah. — Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 22 Mar. 2026 As a result, far fewer people were arrested and deported from the border than in the preceding few years. — Albert Sun, New York Times, 18 Jan. 2026 Rather than drive viewers to keep watching, cliffhanger endings can accidentally foreground inaction in the preceding hour. — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 6 Nov. 2025 Lincecum had sneaked by Madison Bumgarner to advance in the preceding round, garnering 51% of the votes. — John Shea, SFChronicle.com, 5 Apr. 2020

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English precedenge, present participle of preceden "to precede"

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of preceding was in the 15th century

Rhymes for preceding

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Browse Nearby Words

precedently
preceding
precel
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Cite this Entry

“Preceding.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/preceding. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

preceding

adjective
pre·​ced·​ing pri-ˈsēd-iŋ How to pronounce preceding (audio)
: going before : previous
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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