What Is the Difference between "Precede" and "Proceed"?
The Quick Answer
To proceed means to go forwards or to continue.
Precede
The verb to precede means to come before (usually in time).Examples:
- King George VI preceded Queen Elizabeth II.
(in time) - The
professor will precede the first lecture with his opening remarks.
- The flight
simulator is unable to replicate the airframe shudder that precedes the stall.
Proceed
The verb to proceed means to go forwards, or to continue. The noun proceeds (always in the plural) means the profit arising from an event or sale.Examples:
- As soon
as security has removed the protesters, I shall proceed.
(proceed = continue)
- We are
proceeding at pace.
(proceed = moving forward / moving on / progressing)
- Have you
spent the proceeds from the disco already?
(proceeds = profit)
A Quick Test
A Note from Teacher
Occasionally, precede can mean to come before in rank.
Example:
- Within the noble ranks, each peer is graded according to the date of receiving the peerage, but peers of England (prior to 1707) precede peers of Scotland (prior to 1707).
(The word precedence derives from precede in this meaning.)
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