Proceed vs Precede | Difference & Meaning
The verb proceed means “continue,” “carry on,” or “advance” (e.g., “Please proceed with caution”), while the verb precede means “come/happen before” and is often used in the passive voice. In the sentence, “The film will be preceded by an introduction from the director,” for instance, the introduction comes before the film showing.
| Proceed in a sentence | Precede in a sentence |
|---|---|
| After the cocktail reception, we proceeded with the main event. | The main event was preceded by a cocktail reception. |
| Please proceed down the hall and take your seats in the main auditorium. | A cocktail reception in the lobby will precede the main event in the auditorium. |
| The project is proceeding according to plan. | The project was a great success thanks to the thorough planning that preceded it. |
Proceed meaning
The verb proceed can mean “continue”, “continue as planned,” or “continue moving in the same direction”—especially after some kind of pause. We use the construction “(then) proceed to do something” to emphasize the next action in a connected sequence of events.
We need to wait for approval before we can proceed with the next step.
I emailed her all the information and asked her to let us know how we should proceed.
You cannot wait here, sir; please proceed along the street.
Precede definition
The verb precede means “come/happen before” (e.g., in time or sequence) or “go in front of.” We often use it in the passive voice with “by” so the thing that comes “before” is at the end of the sentence.
The details of the events that preceded the accident are still unclear.
A short introduction precedes each chapter.
The floats will be preceded by a marching band.
Preceding meaning
The adjective preceding means “coming before” or “previous.” It is often used to describe periods of time (e.g., years, months, weeks, etc.).
This character has not appeared in any of the preceding movies in the franchise.
The word preceding is also the present participle of the verb “precede” (e.g., “It depends on what is preceding it”).
Proceeding definition
The noun proceeding used in the plural (proceedings) can mean “the things that happen at a particular event,” “legal action,” or “a record of what was said or done at a meeting of an organization such as a society.”
The district attorney stated that she will not be pursuing criminal proceedings against him due to lack of evidence.
The conference proceedings will be available online next week.
The word proceeding is also the present participle of the verb “proceed” (e.g., “We will therefore not be proceeding as originally planned”).
Proceeds meaning
The noun proceeds means “the money earned” or “profits” and is always used in the plural.
The proceeds of the sale will be reinvested in the business.
Frequently asked questions about proceed or precede
- Is it preceed or precede?
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Preceed is a common misspelling of precede or proceed (two verbs which have different meanings).
Have you tried QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker? You can use it to pick up errors and typos such as “preceed” in your writing.
- What is the opposite of precede?
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Opposites (antonyms) of the verb precede include:
- Follow
- Succeed
- Come after
- Go after
- Be subsequent to
On a related note, you can’t spell precede as proceed or precede because they are two different words with different meanings.
If you need a synonym for “precede,” you can use QuillBot’s free Paraphraser to find one to fit your specific context.
