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Following vs Preceding - What's the difference?

following | preceding |

As adjectives the difference between following and preceding

is that following is coming next, either in sequence or in time while preceding is occurring before or in front of something else, in time, place, rank or sequence.

As a preposition following

is after, subsequent to.

As a noun following

is a group of followers, attendants or admirers; an entourage.

As a verb preceding is

present participle of lang=en.

following

English

Adjective

(-)
  • Coming next, either in sequence or in time.
  • * 1835 , Sir , Sir (James Clark Ross), Narrative of a Second Voyage in Search of a North-west Passage …, Volume 1 , pp.284-5
    • Towards the following morning, the thermometer fell to 5°; and at daylight, there was not an atom of water to be seen in any direction.
  • About to be specified.
  • (of a wind) Blowing in the direction of travel.

    • Usage notes

    (Senses 1, 2) When it modifies a noun phrase, it is generally preceded by the definite article the'', and the combination functions as a determiner rather than a simple adjective. You can put it before a cardinal like ''the following two remarks'' instead of ''the two following remarks .

    Antonyms

    * abovementioned * aforementioned * aforesaid

    Preposition

    (English prepositions)
  • After, subsequent to.
    • Following the meeting, we all had a chat.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A group of followers, attendants or admirers; an entourage.
    • He had a loyal following .
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2011 , date=September 29 , author=Jon Smith , title=Tottenham 3 - 1 Shamrock Rovers , work=BBC Sport citation , page= , passage=And White Hart Lane was stunned when Rovers scored just five minutes after the restart in front of their away following .}}
  • Something to be mentioned immediately later. Used with the definite article the .
    • The following is a recommendation letter from the president.
  • Vocation; business; profession.

    • Statistics

    *

    preceding

    English

    Alternative forms

    * (archaic)

    Adjective

    (-)
  • Occurring before or in front of something else, in time, place, rank or sequence.
    • On the preceding Monday Shobana had gone on vacation.

    Antonyms

    * succeeding

    Verb

    (head)