preceded; preceding
1
: to surpass in rank, dignity, or importance
2
: to be, go, or come ahead or in front of
3
: to be earlier than
4
: to cause to be preceded : preface
: to go or come before
Examples of precede in a Sentence
Minutes before 10:30 p.m. in China, the stadium pulsed with the emotions that always precede a 100-meter final.
—
Tim Layden, Sports Illustrated, 25 Aug. 2008
But research has now shown that so-called responses to rhythm actually precede the external beat. We anticipate the beat …
—Oliver Sacks, Musicophilia, 2007
The print media ape the manners of television, and on television form precedes content, emotion replaces thought, legend substitutes for history, fiction dictates to fact.
—Lewis H. Lapham, Harper's, September 1998
Riots preceded the civil war.
She preceded him into the room.
The country became more conservative in the years that preceded his election.
The new mayor is very different from the person who preceded her in office.
The meeting was preceded by a brief welcoming speech.
The chairman preceded the meeting with a brief welcoming speech.
Tim Layden, Sports Illustrated, 25 Aug. 2008
But research has now shown that so-called responses to rhythm actually precede the external beat. We anticipate the beat …
—Oliver Sacks, Musicophilia, 2007
The print media ape the manners of television, and on television form precedes content, emotion replaces thought, legend substitutes for history, fiction dictates to fact.
—Lewis H. Lapham, Harper's, September 1998
Riots preceded the civil war.
She preceded him into the room.
The country became more conservative in the years that preceded his election.
The new mayor is very different from the person who preceded her in office.
The meeting was preceded by a brief welcoming speech.
The chairman preceded the meeting with a brief welcoming speech.
Recent Examples on the Web
For most of the preceding four decades, the Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, had governed unopposed, and people were beginning to demand greater freedoms.
—Stephania Taladrid, New Yorker, 21 Apr. 2025
The annexation formed the backdrop to a war in Ukraine's Donbas region which preceded Moscow's full-scale invasion in February 2022.
—Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Apr. 2025
The animation is even more inventive that its preceding film, Into the Spider-Verse, with distinct styles developed for its multitude of new universes, effectively pushing the boundaries of what animated movies can look like and achieve.
—Travis Bean, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025
Upon each continuation, the characters reference unseen stories during the preceding one-year gap in story.
—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 18 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for precede
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Stephania Taladrid, New Yorker, 21 Apr. 2025
The annexation formed the backdrop to a war in Ukraine's Donbas region which preceded Moscow's full-scale invasion in February 2022.
—Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Apr. 2025
The animation is even more inventive that its preceding film, Into the Spider-Verse, with distinct styles developed for its multitude of new universes, effectively pushing the boundaries of what animated movies can look like and achieve.
—Travis Bean, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025
Upon each continuation, the characters reference unseen stories during the preceding one-year gap in story.
—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 18 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for precede
Cite this Entry
“Precede.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/precede. Accessed 26 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
precede
verb
pre·cede
pri-ˈsēd 
preceded; preceding
: to be, go, or come before (as in rank, position, or time)
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share