# precedence vs precedent

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### precedence
*noun · IPA /ˈpɹɛsɪd(ə)ns/ · frequency rank #18,925*
The state of preceding in importance or priority.

### precedent
*noun · IPA /ˈpɹɛs.ɪ.dənt/ · frequency rank #9,939*
An act in the past which may be used as an example to help decide the outcome of similar instances in the future.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/precedence-vs-precedent