# precede

/pɹɪˈsid/ (US) · /pɹɪsˈiːd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/precede
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. to happen before

verb · CEFR B2 · Academic

to happen or exist before something else in time.

For teachers: to occur or exist before a specific point in time or a subsequent event. Transitive — requires a direct object.

- A long period of silence preceded the announcement of the winner.
- The economic collapse was preceded by a decade of unsustainable lending and rapid inflation that few analysts correctly identified at the time.

Usage: Often used in the passive voice: 'A is preceded by B' means B happens first.

### 2. to go in front of

verb · CEFR B2 · Formal

to go in front of someone or something else in a line or procession.

For teachers: to go before someone or something else in space or in a formal procession.

- The mayor preceded the other officials into the town hall.
- The ceremonial guards preceded the royal carriage as the procession moved slowly through the crowded city streets.

### 3. to introduce

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal · Academic

to put something at the beginning of a speech or piece of writing.

For teachers: to preface or introduce a statement or text with something else.

- She preceded her presentation with a short video about the project.
- The author preceded the final chapter with a poignant quote from a nineteenth-century poet to set the tone for the conclusion.

Usage: Usually takes the pattern 'precede something with something'.

### 4. editorial preface

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a short introduction at the start of an article or essay.

For teachers: a brief editorial preface or introductory note, typically found at the beginning of a journal article or essay.

- The editor wrote a brief precede to explain the history of the report.
- The scholarly journal included a short precede for each article to provide historical context for the research findings.

Teaching tip: This noun sense is highly specialized and rare; learners will almost always encounter 'precede' as a verb.

## Examples

- A short introduction will precede the main presentation.
- The heavy storm was preceded by a sudden drop in temperature and a darkening of the sky.
- In many historical narratives, a period of intense social unrest is seen to precede the formal declaration of war, serving as a catalyst for the eventual conflict.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.