as in previous
going before another in time or order
had not eaten since the preceding day
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in predating
to go or come before in time
there are two speeches which will precede yours
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of preceding
Ben Travers, IndieWire, 6 Nov. 2025
In the preceding month, Gamestop also closed its NFT marketplace, just months after removing support for its NFT wallet.
—Nicholas Kitonyi, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
Most of those were seized on Oct. 7, 2023, but others were taken hostage in the preceding decade, and a substantial number are no longer alive.
—Jerome Socolovsky, NPR, 19 Jan. 2025
During the preceding month, the platform was profiting off political ads from at least three of the lawmakers who signed the letter: Goldman, Schiff and Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.).
—Aaron Schaffer, Washington Post, 11 Dec. 2023
The accolades, as well as the president's preceding remarks, came exactly two years after the riot, which saw a number of former President Donald Trump's supporters storm the U.S. Capitol in an effort the overturn the 2020 election.
—Brigid Kennedy, The Week, 6 Jan. 2023
Lincecum had sneaked by Madison Bumgarner to advance in the preceding round, garnering 51% of the votes.
—John Shea, SFChronicle.com, 5 Apr. 2020
Annual inflation has been just 1.8% on average, down from about 3.5% during the preceding 20 years and 4.5% in the two decades before that.
—The Economist, 13 Feb. 2020
But the train whirred, caught and deposited us at the preceding station.
—Los Angeles Times, 25 Jan. 2020
Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Related Stories At the end, Styles finally gets some attention from a hotel employee at the previously empty front desk, and the preceding minutes are revealed to have been a fantasy, as the mystery figure walks past him, unthreateningly, in the lobby.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 23 Jan. 2026
The Wall Street Journal reported Binance’s ties to Trump’s crypto ventures preceding his release from jail.
—Carlos Garcia, Fortune, 23 Jan. 2026
Under the Healthy Indiana Plan, the bill modifies work and exemption requirements and requires the conditions to be met in the three preceding months before an individual applies.
—Alexandra Kukulka, Chicago Tribune, 23 Jan. 2026
Kolomiets, who was 52, was born in Russia, but multiple men with his name were known to have entered the United States in the years preceding his death.
—David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 22 Jan. 2026
As for a synopsis of their excursion traversing the Mountain and Pacific time zones, Lee noted the up-and-down nature of his team that included a rough outing against Golden State preceding the date with Denver.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 19 Jan. 2026
Also, reaching the 2028 Paralympics requires qualifying at a site to be determined in the months preceding the games - and that is getting the bulk of her attention.
—Rick Mauch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Jan. 2026
In 2012, one bettor on the now-defunct prediction market Intrade placed a series of huge wagers on Mitt Romney in the two weeks preceding the election, generating a betting line indicative of a tight race.
—Saahil Desai, The Atlantic, 17 Jan. 2026
Adjective
Rather than drive viewers to keep watching, cliffhanger endings can accidentally foreground inaction in the preceding hour.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 6 Nov. 2025
In the preceding month, Gamestop also closed its NFT marketplace, just months after removing support for its NFT wallet.
—Nicholas Kitonyi, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
Most of those were seized on Oct. 7, 2023, but others were taken hostage in the preceding decade, and a substantial number are no longer alive.
—Jerome Socolovsky, NPR, 19 Jan. 2025
During the preceding month, the platform was profiting off political ads from at least three of the lawmakers who signed the letter: Goldman, Schiff and Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.).
—Aaron Schaffer, Washington Post, 11 Dec. 2023
The accolades, as well as the president's preceding remarks, came exactly two years after the riot, which saw a number of former President Donald Trump's supporters storm the U.S. Capitol in an effort the overturn the 2020 election.
—Brigid Kennedy, The Week, 6 Jan. 2023
Lincecum had sneaked by Madison Bumgarner to advance in the preceding round, garnering 51% of the votes.
—John Shea, SFChronicle.com, 5 Apr. 2020
Annual inflation has been just 1.8% on average, down from about 3.5% during the preceding 20 years and 4.5% in the two decades before that.
—The Economist, 13 Feb. 2020
But the train whirred, caught and deposited us at the preceding station.
—Los Angeles Times, 25 Jan. 2020
Verb
This is not a fundamental reassessment but a speculative rush preceding a highly dilutive financing occurrence.
—Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Related Stories At the end, Styles finally gets some attention from a hotel employee at the previously empty front desk, and the preceding minutes are revealed to have been a fantasy, as the mystery figure walks past him, unthreateningly, in the lobby.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 23 Jan. 2026
The Wall Street Journal reported Binance’s ties to Trump’s crypto ventures preceding his release from jail.
—Carlos Garcia, Fortune, 23 Jan. 2026
Under the Healthy Indiana Plan, the bill modifies work and exemption requirements and requires the conditions to be met in the three preceding months before an individual applies.
—Alexandra Kukulka, Chicago Tribune, 23 Jan. 2026
Kolomiets, who was 52, was born in Russia, but multiple men with his name were known to have entered the United States in the years preceding his death.
—David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 22 Jan. 2026
As for a synopsis of their excursion traversing the Mountain and Pacific time zones, Lee noted the up-and-down nature of his team that included a rough outing against Golden State preceding the date with Denver.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 19 Jan. 2026
Also, reaching the 2028 Paralympics requires qualifying at a site to be determined in the months preceding the games - and that is getting the bulk of her attention.
—Rick Mauch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Jan. 2026
In 2012, one bettor on the now-defunct prediction market Intrade placed a series of huge wagers on Mitt Romney in the two weeks preceding the election, generating a betting line indicative of a tight race.
—Saahil Desai, The Atlantic, 17 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preceding
Adjective
-
Lakeside's previous police chief, who also served as mayor, Robert Gordanaire, was fired after he and his daughter, the town clerk, were indicted by a grand jury for selling vehicles belonging to the town and pocketing the profit.—
Brian Maass,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
-
The previous schedule was fixed.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Cramps aren’t a new issue for Peterson — even predating his KU preseason cramping issues.—
Shreyas Laddha,
Kansas City Star,
15 Dec. 2025
-
The Sonoran desert has a long tradition of moonshine agave spirit production predating Prohibition.—
Von Diaz,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
11 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Despite keeping as much of their old routines as possible, including foregoing a live-in staff, Kate Middleton and Prince William’s grand new eight-room dwelling comes with twice the size of their former residence—and its own royal rules that not even the king-to-be is able to bend.—
Lara Walsh,
InStyle,
19 Jan. 2026
-
But Rose is foregoing the sport this winter to concentrate on her track career.—
Jeff Vorva,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Preceding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preceding. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
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