Precede vs. Succeed: What's the Difference?
Edited by Huma Saeed || By Sawaira Riaz || Updated on October 5, 2023
Precede means to come before something in time, place, or order; Succeed means to follow or come after something.
Key Differences
Precede and Succeed are two terms that refer to the order or arrangement of things, especially in terms of time and sequence. To precede is to be positioned before something else in time, place, or rank, emphasizing the chronological or spatial arrangement. Succeed, in contrast, is to come after something, particularly in sequence or in time, accentuating the following nature in the arrangement.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 22, 2023
The concept of precede is crucial in various contexts such as events, actions, or items in a series, where it illustrates something that happens or exists before another. It implies a former occurrence or existence. Succeed reflects the subsequent nature of elements, highlighting the items, actions, or events that come after, underscoring the latter occurrence or existence.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 22, 2023
Precede is oriented towards the past, suggesting a preexisting state or occurrence, while it’s inherent in the definition of succeed to be future-oriented, pointing towards a following state or occurrence. Precede is about what has already occurred or been established, while succeed is about what will occur or be established next.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 22, 2023
In linguistic terms, to precede implies being positioned before another component in a sentence or a phrase. It denotes prior placement in syntax or structure. On the contrary, to succeed signifies being positioned after another component in linguistic constructs, denoting subsequent placement in structure or syntax.
Janet White
Sep 22, 2023
In conclusion, precede and succeed are antonymic in essence, the former elucidating the concept of being or occurring before in time, place, or order, and the latter explicating the concept of following or coming after something in sequence, time, or arrangement.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 22, 2023
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Comparison Chart
Definition
To come before in time, place, or order.
To come after or follow in time, place, or order.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 22, 2023
Orientation
Oriented towards the past; implies a former state or occurrence.
Oriented towards the future; implies a following state or occurrence.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 22, 2023
Linguistic Placement
Positioned before another component in a sentence or phrase.
Positioned after another component in a sentence or phrase.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 22, 2023
Usage
Used to denote prior occurrence or existence.
Used to denote subsequent occurrence or existence.
Aimie Carlson
Sep 22, 2023
Antonym
Succeed is the antonym of precede.
Precede is the antonym of succeed.
Aimie Carlson
Sep 22, 2023
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Precede and Succeed Definitions
Precede
To come before in time.
The invention of the telephone preceded the advent of the internet.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 22, 2023
Succeed
To inherit an estate or title.
The eldest son will succeed to the family estate.
Aimie Carlson
Sep 22, 2023
Succeed
To come next after another in office or position.
The newly elected mayor will succeed the outgoing one.
Janet White
Sep 22, 2023
Precede
To be positioned in front of or prior to.
The introduction precedes the first chapter in the book.
Janet White
Sep 22, 2023
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Succeed
To take over a throne, office, or other positions.
The vice president will succeed the president if necessary.
Janet White
Sep 22, 2023
Precede
To surpass or exceed in rank or importance.
The needs of children should precede those of adults in times of crisis.
Sara Rehman
Sep 22, 2023
Succeed
To come next in time or order
She fell sick, and what succeeded was an outpouring of concern from her fans.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 20, 2023
Precede
To cause or give rise to.
Increased cloud cover usually precedes rainfall.
Harlon Moss
Sep 22, 2023
Succeed
To replace another in office or position
The prince succeeded to the throne.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 20, 2023
Succeed
To accomplish something desired or intended
"Success is counted sweetest / By those who ne'er succeed" (Emily Dickinson).
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 20, 2023
Succeed
To come after (something) in time or order; follow
Winter succeeds autumn.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 20, 2023
Succeed
(transitive) To follow something in sequence or time.
Autumn succeeds summer.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 20, 2023
Precede
(transitive) To go before, go in front of.
Cultural genocide precedes physical genocide.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 20, 2023
Succeed
(transitive) To replace or supplant someone in order vis-à-vis an office, position, or title.
The king's eldest son succeeds his father on the throne.
After a contentious election, Jones succeeded Smith as president of the republic.
Take the place of
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 20, 2023
Succeed
(intransitive) To come after or follow; to be subsequent or consequent; often with to.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 20, 2023
Succeed
(intransitive) To come in the place of another person, thing, or event; to come next in the usual, natural, or prescribed course of things; to follow; hence, to come next in the possession of anything; often with to.
Following the death of his mother, he succeeded to the throne.
So, if the issue of the elder son succeed before the younger, the crown (or: property) falls to me.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 20, 2023
Succeed
(intransitive) To ascend the throne after the removal or death of the occupant.
Princess Buttercup succeeded to the throne as queen after King Willoughby died.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 20, 2023
Precede
To go before in order of time; to occur first with relation to anything.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 20, 2023
Succeed
(intransitive) To prevail in obtaining an intended objective or accomplishment; to prosper as a result or conclusion of a particular effort.
The persecution of any righteous practice has never succeeded in the face of history; in fact, it can expedite the collapse of the persecutory regime.
She succeeded in her efforts to repair the tank.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 20, 2023
Succeed
(intransitive) To prosper or attain success and beneficial results in general.
Voted most likely to succeed
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 20, 2023
Precede
To cause to be preceded; to preface; to introduce; - used with by or with before the instrumental object.
It is usual to precede hostilities by a public declaration.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 20, 2023
Succeed
(intransitive) To descend, as an estate or an heirloom, in the same family; to devolve; often with to.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 20, 2023
Precede
Be the predecessor of;
Bill preceded John in the long line of Susan's husbands
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 20, 2023
Precede
Furnish with a preface or introduction;
She always precedes her lectures with a joke
He prefaced his lecture with a critical remark about the institution
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 20, 2023
Succeed
To follow in order; to come next after; hence, to take the place of; as, the king's eldest son succeeds his father on the throne; autumn succeeds summer.
As he saw him nigh succeed.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 20, 2023
Succeed
To come after; to be subsequent or consequent to; to follow; to pursue.
Destructive effects . . . succeeded the curse.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 20, 2023
Succeed
To support; to prosper; to promote.
Succeed my wish and second my design.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 20, 2023
Succeed
To come in the place of another person, thing, or event; to come next in the usual, natural, or prescribed course of things; to follow; hence, to come next in the possession of anything; - often with to.
If the father left only daughters, they equally succeeded to him in copartnership.
Enjoy till I returnShort pleasures; for long woes are to succeed!
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 20, 2023
Succeed
To ascend the throne after the removal the death of the occupant.
No woman shall succeed in Salique land.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 20, 2023
Succeed
To descend, as an estate or an heirloom, in the same family; to devolve.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 20, 2023
Succeed
To obtain the object desired; to accomplish what is attempted or intended; to have a prosperous issue or termination; to be successful; as, he succeeded in his plans; his plans succeeded.
It is almost impossible for poets to succeed without ambition.
Spenser endeavored it in Shepherd's Kalendar; but neither will it succeed in English.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 20, 2023
Succeed
Attain success or reach a desired goal;
The enterprise succeeded
We succeeded in getting tickets to the show
She struggled to overcome her handicap and won
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 20, 2023
Succeed
Be the successor (of);
Carter followed Ford
Will Charles succeed to the throne?
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 20, 2023
Succeed
To achieve the desired aim or result.
With determination, you will succeed.
Harlon Moss
Sep 22, 2023
FAQs
Can succeed refer to inheriting a title?
Yes, succeed can mean inheriting a title or estate.
Aimie Carlson
Sep 22, 2023
Does precede always denote superiority or higher rank?
No, it simply means coming before in time, place, or order.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 22, 2023
Can precede be used in terms of spatial arrangement?
Yes, precede can refer to something coming before another in place or arrangement.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 22, 2023
Can an event succeed another immediately, or is there always a time gap?
An event can succeed another immediately or after a gap, depending on context.
Harlon Moss
Sep 22, 2023
Does succeed imply following in time only?
No, succeed can also imply following in order, sequence, or position.
Harlon Moss
Sep 22, 2023
Can something succeed itself?
Not typically, as succeed implies following another distinct entity or event.
Harlon Moss
Sep 22, 2023
Does succeed always imply successful accomplishment?
No, succeed can simply mean to follow or come after, without any implication of achievement.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 22, 2023
Is precede oriented towards past occurrences?
Yes, precede implies a prior occurrence or state.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 22, 2023
Can precede imply causation?
Sometimes, as one event can precede and potentially cause another.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 22, 2023
Is precede used in formal contexts more often?
Yes, precede is often used in formal and written contexts to describe order.
Harlon Moss
Sep 22, 2023
Can both precede and succeed be used in linguistic terms?
Yes, both terms can be used to describe the arrangement of components in language structures.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 22, 2023
Is success the noun form of succeed?
Yes, success is the noun form, denoting the accomplishment of an aim or purpose.
Harlon Moss
Sep 22, 2023
Can preceding be used as the adjective form of precede?
Yes, preceding can describe something that came before another.
Aimie Carlson
Sep 22, 2023
Is precedence related to the concept of precede?
Yes, precedence denotes the condition of being considered more important than others.
Sara Rehman
Sep 22, 2023
Can the term successor be related to succeed?
Yes, a successor is a person or thing that succeeds another, especially in a job or position.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 22, 2023
About Author
Written by
Sawaira RiazSawaira is a dedicated content editor at difference.wiki, where she meticulously refines articles to ensure clarity and accuracy. With a keen eye for detail, she upholds the site's commitment to delivering insightful and precise content.
Edited by
Huma SaeedHuma is a renowned researcher acclaimed for her innovative work in Difference Wiki. Her dedication has led to key breakthroughs, establishing her prominence in academia. Her contributions continually inspire and guide her field.
