preceded; preceding
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
: to go or come before
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.
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
While Rob Reiner's home in Brentwood, California, will forever be linked to the grisly murders of the iconic filmmaker and his wife, Michele, the house has a storied history that precedes the crimes committed inside.
—Emily Trainham, FOXNews.com, 21 Dec. 2025
A certain level of defiance Perhaps even more remarkable than that age number is that Moyer missed the preceding season while recovering from double surgery to repair his flexor pronator and his ulnar collateral ligament.
—Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 21 Dec. 2025
The tone ranges from hopeful to exasperated—a common rejoinder is that death precedes new, healthy growth—but the over-all effect is a refreshingly cold shower.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 19 Dec. 2025
In some cases, a cover page, a photo of a folder or something else that isn't fully redacted precedes several pages that are entirely obscured by a black box.
—Joe Walsh, CBS News, 19 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for precede
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Emily Trainham, FOXNews.com, 21 Dec. 2025
A certain level of defiance Perhaps even more remarkable than that age number is that Moyer missed the preceding season while recovering from double surgery to repair his flexor pronator and his ulnar collateral ligament.
—Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 21 Dec. 2025
The tone ranges from hopeful to exasperated—a common rejoinder is that death precedes new, healthy growth—but the over-all effect is a refreshingly cold shower.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 19 Dec. 2025
In some cases, a cover page, a photo of a folder or something else that isn't fully redacted precedes several pages that are entirely obscured by a black box.
—Joe Walsh, CBS News, 19 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for precede
Cite this Entry
“Precede.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/precede. Accessed 22 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
precede
verb
pre·cede
pri-ˈsēd 
preceded; preceding
: to be, go, or come before (as in rank, position, or time)
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