SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
precedent
noun
An earlier example that can guide a later decision or action.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Earlier guiding example
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topA precedent is earlier and guides a later decision. A benchmark need not be earlier; an earlier ruling is the narrower legal application.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See precedent in use
Allowing the exception would set a precedent for future requests.
A volunteer journal reached a juncture at which it had to choose between publishing one large annual issue and several shorter issues. The editor found a precedent in an earlier experiment recorded by her predecessor, who had tried a short spring edition when submissions were unusually numerous.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license