somewhat formal
: the condition of being more important than something or someone else and therefore coming or being dealt with first
The guests were introduced in order of precedence. [=the most important guests were introduced first]
The safety of the children has/takes precedence over [=is more important than] everything else.
Many small businesses complain that the government's policies give precedence to large corporations. [=treat large corporations as more important]
Cite this Entry
“Precedence.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/precedence. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
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