precedent

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“We try to interpret American law with American precedent based on American history,” the justice told Sauer.

From Slate • Apr. 1, 2026

“While McCormick’s M&A track record is a positive precedent, the scale of this potential transaction represents a substantially greater order of magnitude,” Powers wrote on Tuesday.

From Barron's • Mar. 31, 2026

Their reasoning appeared to largely rest on historical precedent: When stocks retreat due to a geopolitical shock, they often recover within a matter of weeks, if not days.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 30, 2026

"This incident is a grave precedent and disregards the sensibilities of billions of people around the world, who during this week, look to Jerusalem," a statement from the patriarchate said.

From BBC • Mar. 29, 2026

For Lexie, the precedent was not quite so clear: her mother had grown up in Shaker and had never gone far—just down to Denison for her undergrad before boomeranging back.

From "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng