Synonyms for

Precedence

Verb / ˈpresʌdʌns / Another word for precedence — explore alternatives below. For syllable breakdowns and pronunciation, see this word on Syllablesworld.

Definition

The condition of being considered more important than someone or something else; priority in importance, order, or rank.

Synonyms & similar words

antecedence antecedency precedency posteriority priority precession anteriority priority preference primacy superiority precedency rank importance magnitude significance weight moment urgency eminence distinction notability prominence repute standing status prestige

Synonyms by register

Formal

priority prerogative preeminence superiority

Informal

first dibs right of way lead

Literary

primacy vanguard

Antonyms

subservience inferiority subordination disregard insignificance lowliness

Common collocations

  • take precedence
  • give precedence
  • legal precedence
  • historical precedence
  • set a precedent
  • establish precedence
  • clear precedence

Word family

noun precedence
verb precede
adjective precedent
adverb precedingly

Usage note

Often confused with 'precedent' (a prior instance serving as an example). 'Precedence' refers to the right to come before another in order or importance.

Example sentences

  1. In some cultures, the eldest son has precedence over his siblings.
  2. The president's schedule takes precedence over all other appointments.
  3. The safety of the passengers always takes precedence over the convenience of the airline.
  4. The judge determined that the plaintiff's claim had precedence over the defendant's counterclaim.
  5. In order to maintain peace, diplomacy must take precedence over aggression.

Quotes

  • "The question of precedence is the vulgar form of the question of aristocracy." - John Emerich Edward Dalberg-Acton
  • "The virtues of society are vices of the saint. The terror of reform is the discovery that we must cast away our virtues, or what we have always esteemed such, into the same pit that has consumed our grosser vices." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
  • "The President’s need for complete candor and objectivity from advisers calls for great deference in the tradition of executive privilege." - Richard M. Nixon

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