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“Precedence” or “Precedents”

precedence / precedents are similar-sounding terms with different meanings (referred to as homophones). To better understand the differences, see below for definitions, pronunciation guides, and example sentences using each term.

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Definitions

What each term means

Same sound, different spellings and meanings, shown with a pronunciation guide for each term.

precedence p·r·EH·s·ah·d·ah·n·s

  • nounstatus established in order of importance or urgency.

precedents p·r·EH·s·ah·d·ah·n·t·s

  • nounan example that is used to justify similar occurrences at a later time.
  • nouna subject mentioned earlier (preceding in time).
Usage

Examples in context

Real sentences for each spelling. Hover an example to copy it.

“precedence”

  • …seat, deferring in order of precedence to Walter Leveson of Lilleshall
  • …was 190th in Order of precedence.
  • …by number in order of precedence, which also are members of…
  • …held its final order of precedence as 17.
  • …League goals scored (F) takes precedence over goal difference (GD).
  • …with the best price taking precedence.
  • …his or her parents takes precedence over du'a.
  • …than du'a, then that takes precedence.
  • …the country (in order of precedence) whose ministers advised The Queen…
  • Order of precedence

“precedents”

  • …text mainly deals with the precedents of Min Yaza, because of…
  • …generally not bound by the precedents of higher courts.
  • …significant because it set legal precedents in four areas of Canadian…
  • …Amendment," as there are no precedents that permit the Fourth Amendment…
  • …century; it has some historical precedents.
  • …jurists in referring to legal precedents.
  • …be considered to be persuasive precedents.
  • …with the maximal relevant legal precedents, generally being decisions recorded in…
  • …Court level, whether such older precedents as Beauharnais v. Illinois and…
  • …in the same year, authored Precedents and Ordinances of the General…

Examples are Wikipedia snippets under the CC ShareAlike 3.0 license. Definitions are drawn from WordNet.

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