as in priority
the right to one's attention before other things considered less important
his merchandise order takes precedence because we received it first
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Recent Examples of precedence
Or does losing to collect as many draft lottery balls as possible take precedence?
—
Vincent Z. Mercogliano, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2026
One target took absolute precedence, however, and getting him in a favorable spot was the trigger of the entire war — former Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 7 Mar. 2026
As geopolitics heat up and trading partners become less reliable, energy security takes precedence—no matter the cost.
—Justin Worland, Time, 6 Mar. 2026
Stories prey on our emotions, not our rationality, and in many cases, the former takes precedence over the latter.
—Tim Brinkhof, Big Think, 3 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for precedence
Vincent Z. Mercogliano, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2026
One target took absolute precedence, however, and getting him in a favorable spot was the trigger of the entire war — former Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 7 Mar. 2026
As geopolitics heat up and trading partners become less reliable, energy security takes precedence—no matter the cost.
—Justin Worland, Time, 6 Mar. 2026
Stories prey on our emotions, not our rationality, and in many cases, the former takes precedence over the latter.
—Tim Brinkhof, Big Think, 3 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for precedence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for precedence
priority
Noun
-
The loss of A’Shawn Robinson is a glaring one at the moment, and replacing the 2024 sack leader should be a priority in April.—
Mike Kaye
March 26,
Charlotte Observer,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Just one week away from concurrence, the Kentucky legislature is moving quickly to pass laws on a priority topic — public education.—
Kathryn Muchnick,
Louisville Courier Journal,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Precedence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/precedence. Accessed 28 Mar. 2026.
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