Definitions

preceded

[pri-see-did] / prɪˈsi dɪd /

VERB

go ahead of

Synonyms

STRONGEST

anticipate foreshadow predate presage

STRONG

antecede antedate guide harbinger head herald introduce lead outrank pace pioneer preexist preface rank scout time usher

WEAK

be ahead of come first forerun go before go in advance have a head start head up in space light the way pave the way ring in run ahead take precedence

Antonyms

STRONG

end finish follow obey

WEAK

go after

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.

Glimpsed in “Alien: Earth’s” first episode, the Maginot had to be fully fitted out for Episode 5’s flashback to the onboard horror that preceded the crash-landing.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 2, 2026

The study found that social behavior is preceded by a distinctive pattern of activity that spreads across the brain.

From Science Daily • Jun. 2, 2026

In the past, when this put-call ratio was at a similar level, it preceded periods of sustained losses for stocks.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 1, 2026

In “The First Emancipation: The Forgotten History of Abolition in Revolutionary France,” Jeremy D. Popkin, a professor emeritus of history at the University of Kentucky, reconstructs the intricate political debates that preceded the 1794 law.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 27, 2026

The lyrics for each section were preceded by a paragraph of prose that augmented the narrative laid out in the lyrics.

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline