Former
Former adjective - Going before another in time or order.
Usage example: the former manual had some errors, but the current version has its own problems
Preceding is a synonym for former in time topic. In some cases you can use "Preceding" instead an adjective "Former", when it comes to topics like earlier, previous, foregoing, aforementioned. popular alternative
Nearby Word: formerly
Preceding
Preceding adjective - Going before another in time or order.
Usage example: had not eaten since the preceding day
Former is a synonym for preceding in earlier topic. You can use "Former" instead an adjective "Preceding", if it concerns topics such as foregoing, time, past, previous. popular alternative
Mutual synonyms
Both words in one sentence
- The first two are also adaptions of a preceding series (a book series for the former and a television series for the latter) that center around a former government agent who has gone into retirement but finds himself put back into action.
- The term remained unknown outside the Philadelphia area until the late 1980s, and Black Friday itself has only been the busiest shopping day of the year since 2005 (the former busiest days being December 23 and the days preceding it.)
Source: Newer Than They Think
Cite this Source
Preceding and Former. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 21, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/former/preceding
Former & Preceding. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/former/preceding>.
Preceding or Former. 2016. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/former/preceding.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "former" and "preceding" have occurred on timeline