Synonyms of preceding

preceding 1 of 2

adjective

pri-ˈsē-diŋ 

as in previous

going before another in time or order

had not eaten since the preceding day

Synonyms & Similar Words

• previous
• prior
• earliest
• early
• precedent
• foregoing
• initial
• former
• antecedent
• anterior
• original
• first
• premature
• introductory
• preliminary
• advance
• inaugural
• pioneer
• preexisting
• maiden
• erstwhile
• whilom

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• subsequent
• following
• later
• ensuing
• after
• succeeding
• posterior
• last
• late
• final
• advanced
• latter
• latest
• concluding
• terminal
• ultimate
• closing

preceding

2 of 2

verb

present participle of precede

as in predating

to go or come before in time

there are two speeches which will precede yours

Synonyms & Similar Words

• predating
• foregoing
• antedating
• preexisting
• anteceding

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• following
• succeeding
• postdating

Synonym Chooser

How is the word preceding distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of preceding are antecedent, anterior, foregoing, former, previous, and prior. While all these words mean "being before," preceding usually implies being immediately before in time or in place.

the preceding sentence

Where would antecedent be a reasonable alternative to preceding?

While in some cases nearly identical to preceding, antecedent applies to order in time and may suggest a causal relation.

conditions antecedent to the revolution

When could anterior be used to replace preceding?

The meanings of anterior and preceding largely overlap; however, anterior applies to position before or ahead of usually in space, sometimes in time or order.

the anterior lobe of the brain

In what contexts can foregoing take the place of preceding?

While the synonyms foregoing and preceding are close in meaning, foregoing applies chiefly to statements.

the foregoing remarks

When is it sensible to use former instead of preceding?

In some situations, the words former and preceding are roughly equivalent. However, former implies always a definite comparison or contrast with something that is latter.

the former name of the company

How do previous and prior relate to one another, in the sense of preceding?

Both 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

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of preceding

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

Verb

Another preceding project, O°, explored footwear and textiles made from polyhydroxyalkanoates, or PHA, a thermoplastic produced by bacteria. — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 30 Oct. 2026

One-third of workers surveyed experienced 15 major changes in the preceding year. — Jason Richmond, Forbes.com, 30 Oct. 2026

Several thousand people gathered on the square to protest Israel’s actions during the 2014 Gaza war, despite the fact that French officials had banned the event after Jewish shops and synagogues in Paris were attacked in the preceding weeks. — Maurice Samuels, New Yorker, 29 Oct. 2026

In October, 2022, the major news networks saw a slight total day audience boost preceding the midterms, although primetime viewership dropped. — Ted Johnson, Deadline, 28 Oct. 2026

The preceding weeks had been hot and dry, with hardly any rain. — Nick Bowlin, ProPublica, 27 Oct. 2026

Each of the last three Trojan football coaches preceding Riley were fired midseason. — Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2026

Subsequent breakout attempts failed, preceding the sharp decline associated with the tariff tantrum. — Frank Cappelleri, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026

Captain Shaheen Afridi, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Haris Rauf and Salman Ali Agha return to ODIs after being left out of preceding T20 series against Sri Lanka which Pakistan won 2-1 at the same Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. — ABC News, 18 Oct. 2026