precedence
/ˈprɛsɪd(ə)ns
/ /prɪˈsiːd(ə)ns /noun [mass noun]
1The condition of being considered more important than someone or something else; priority in importance, order, or rank: his desire for power soon took precedence over any other consideration...
- For a glorious few minutes at Knock Airport on Friday evening, the humble bike took precedence over the big plane.
- However, on their last album before this, silence took precedence over noise.
- Their needs were always paramount in his thoughts and took precedence over everything else in his life.
Synonyms
take priority over, be considered more important/urgent than, outweigh, supersede, prevail over, come before
1.1The order to be ceremonially observed by people of different rank, according to an acknowledged or legally determined system: quarrels over precedence among the Bonaparte family marred the coronation...
- The order of precedence among legal heirs is defined by the degree of proximity of kinship.
- Each cardinal approaches the altar, according to the order of precedence.
- Arguments about ceremonial precedence, like those affecting professional competence, were about power.
Synonyms
priority, pre-eminence, rank, seniority, superiority, primacy, first place, pride of place, eminence, supremacy, ascendancy, preference