# precedence vs preference

> 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.

### preference
*noun · IPA /ˈpɹɛf(ə)ɹ(ə)ns/ · frequency rank #6,000*
The selection of one thing or person over others (with the main adposition being "for" in relation to the thing or person, but possibly also "of")

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