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

There was no red carpet and no separate cocktail receptions preceding the dinner. — Jocelyn Noveck, Fortune, 25 July 2026

Benjamin Greger, a member of Burke's management team, and Louis Poimiroo, senior vice president of finance at his former music label, Interscope Records, discussed the money Burke was earning in the years preceding Rivas Hernandez's death. — Liza Esquibias, USA Today, 23 July 2026

And the track is now streaming, preceding One Tribe Nation's July 25, 2026 performance at the Den Studios in Los Angeles as well as the release of the full-length album 'Estado Dorado' later this year. — Jim Ryan, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026

Demand in South Florida on game days and the nights preceding them totaled 297K nights, up 12% year over year. — Vinod Sreeharsha, Miami Herald, 22 July 2026

Abatzoglou hypothesized the region’s link between wildfires and soil moisture could cause the mitigating effects of the preceding El Niño to linger longer. — Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 22 July 2026

Each host stadium was paired with nearby soccer facilities for visiting teams to train in the days immediately preceding each game; MLS worked to ensure those venues were, as often as possible, MLS team stadiums or training centers. — Becky Sullivan, NPR, 19 July 2026

Oppressive smoke from Canadian wildfires amid a heat wave had beset the tristate area in the preceding week. — Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 19 July 2026

The league would shut down for 11 days to accommodate the tournament as well as the preceding All-Star Game. — Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 14 July 2026