precede

verb

pre·​cede pri-ˈsēd 

preceded; preceding

transitive verb

1

: to surpass in rank, dignity, or importance

2

: to be, go, or come ahead or in front of

3

: to be earlier than

4

: to cause to be preceded : preface

intransitive verb

: to go or come before

Synonyms of precede

• predate

Examples of precede in a Sentence

Minutes before 10:30 p.m. in China, the stadium pulsed with the emotions that always precede a 100-meter final. —Tim Layden, Sports Illustrated, 25 Aug. 2008

But research has now shown that so-called responses to rhythm actually precede the external beat. We anticipate the beat … —Oliver Sacks, Musicophilia, 2007

The print media ape the manners of television, and on television form precedes content, emotion replaces thought, legend substitutes for history, fiction dictates to fact. —Lewis H. Lapham, Harper's, September 1998

Riots preceded the civil war.

She preceded him into the room.

The country became more conservative in the years that preceded his election.

The new mayor is very different from the person who preceded her in office.

The meeting was preceded by a brief welcoming speech.

The chairman preceded the meeting with a brief welcoming speech.

Recent Examples on the Web

In his formulation, a place does not precede the appearance of a bridge; the bridge makes the place apparent. — Katy Barkan, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026

Steuri was preceded in death by his parents, Eldon and Nina Sceals Steuri, and his son David John Steuri. — Dylan Sherman, Arkansas Online, 1 Sep. 2026

The disclosure reports the justices file annually cover the preceding year’s earnings, so Alito is likely to report additional book proceeds in future reports. — Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026

On a construction site in Hainan Province, on the sub-tropical southern tip of China, a reactor barely the height of a four-story building has spent 2026 working through the final rites of commissioning that precede commercial nuclear power. — Interesting Engineering, 31 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English preceden, borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French preceder, borrowed from Latin praecēdere "to go in front (of), occur at an earlier time (than), come before, be superior (to), excel, surpass," from prae- pre- + cēdere "to go, move away, withdraw, yield" — more at cede

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 3

Rhymes for precede

• accede
• agreed
• airspeed
• alkyd
• bindweed
• chickweed
• concede
• decreed
• duckweed
• exceed
• flaxseed
• impede

Kids Definition

precede

verb

pre·​cede pri-ˈsēd 

preceded; preceding

: to be, go, or come before (as in rank, position, or time)