preceding

adjective
UK: /prɪˈsiː.dɪŋ/
US: /priˈsiː.dɪŋ/

  1. Coming before something else in time or order.

    1. The preceding chapter was about animals; this one is about plants.
    2. Read the preceding instructions carefully before assembling the furniture, please.

  2. Existing or happening before someone or something else.

    1. The preceding days had been very busy for all of us in office.
    2. Following a moment of silence, the preceding speaker left the stage quickly.

Synonyms

previous prior foregoing antecedent
preceding verb

  1. To go before something in time, order, rank, etc.

    1. The flood preceded the famine, causing much suffering.
    2. A short speech by the chairman preceded the awards ceremony happily.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "preceding" in English means: Coming before something else in time or order., Existing or happening before someone or something else..

The phonetic transcription of "preceding" is /prɪˈsiː.dɪŋ/ in British English and /priˈsiː.dɪŋ/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "preceding": previous, prior, foregoing, antecedent.

Example usage of "preceding": "The preceding chapter was about animals; this one is about plants.". More examples on the page.