precedent

adjective

pri-ˈsē-dᵊnt How to pronounce precedent (audio)
Definition of precedentnext
as in previous
going before another in time or order behavior that may be explained by a precedent event in her troubled life

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of precedent Much of its aid has come in unsigned rulings on the emergency docket—ostensibly temporary and non-precedent-setting judgments that nevertheless carry serious consequences. — Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026 Their protections may have been further eroded with a precedent decision recently in which the Board of Immigration Appeals determined that DACA status alone is not enough to stop deportation. — Hallie Golden, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2026 These tools can generate a first-draft NDA within seconds by drawing on vast training libraries of precedent agreements and current market standards. — Allbusiness, Forbes.com, 18 Mar. 2026 Even when Disney brought back Ortega for their Descendants franchise in 2015 — a film about the children of Disney villains — IP took precedent time and time again above the story. — Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 24 Jan. 2026 This adaptation demands re-conceiving large chunks of plot from the ground-up while retaining Liu’s themes, not to mention visualizing concepts with less precedent onscreen than the fantasy tropes Martin deployed and subverted. — Alison Herman, Variety, 9 Mar. 2024 Judge Barrett did not entirely embrace the notion of super-precedent. — Jonathan Turley, WSJ, 15 Oct. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for precedent
previous
Adjective
  • The record set last year was nearly double the previous high.
    — Jordan Blum, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Capturing towns and roads would hamper Tigrayan fighters without necessarily securing the vast rural areas where the rebel forces regrouped during the previous war, Taylor said.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of previous

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precedences
precedent
precedes
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Cite this Entry

“Precedent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/precedent. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on precedent

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about precedent

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