previous

adjective

pre·​vi·​ous ˈprē-vē-əs How to pronounce previous (audio)
1
: going before in time or order : prior
the previous owners
previous attempts had failed
reread the previous page
2
: acting too soon : premature
somewhat previous in his conclusion
previously adverb
Physicists have constructed a pipette that dispenses a billionth of a trillionth of a liter, a droplet that's a thousand times as small as volumes previously achieved. A. Cunningham
Previously, many mutations have been induced by harsh treatments such as X rays, UV light or chemicals. Kevin Struhl
previousness noun
Had I been capable of looking closer then, I might have asked myself why every kind of previousness miraculously survived there … Robyn Davidson
Choose the Right Synonym for previous

preceding, antecedent, foregoing, previous, prior, former, anterior mean being before.

preceding usually implies being immediately before in time or in place.

the preceding sentence

antecedent applies to order in time and may suggest a causal relation.

conditions antecedent to the revolution

foregoing applies chiefly to statements.

the foregoing remarks

previous and prior imply existing or occurring earlier, but prior often adds an implication of greater importance.

a child from a previous marriage
a prior obligation

former implies always a definite comparison or contrast with something that is latter.

the former name of the company

anterior applies to position before or ahead of usually in space, sometimes in time or order.

the anterior lobe of the brain

Examples of previous in a Sentence

She has a child from a previous marriage. The two characters met in a previous chapter. the previous owners of the house
Recent Examples on the Web Related article Global carbon pollution hits record high even as renewables surge The company retired a previous target to reduce its carbon intensity by 45% by 2035. Reuters, CNN, 14 Mar. 2024 The previous day, the singer shared a teaser for the song, including an image of himself riding a motorcycle at night. Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 14 Mar. 2024 In 2023, deals in the sector had a 46 percent close rate, a seven-point dip from the previous year, and a 30 percent fail rate, a seven-point uptick from 2022, according to an M&A review by financial software firm Datasite. Winston Cho, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Mar. 2024 This year, only about 20 percent of the students at FAFSA night were able to complete the form — a huge change from previous years, school officials said. Zach Montague, New York Times, 14 Mar. 2024 Shell now aims to reduce its net carbon intensity by 15% to 20% by 2030, compared with a previous target of 20%, according to its latest energy transition strategy update published on Thursday. Laura Hurst, Fortune Europe, 14 Mar. 2024 That came after a previous federal judge’s ruling that the Texas law violated the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment prohibition against free-speech restrictions. Todd Spangler, Variety, 14 Mar. 2024 Gomez said the latest complaint to State Bar officials was driven by jealousy over a previous girlfriend. Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Mar. 2024 Following his 2020 arrest on a misdemeanor trespassing charge behind a Florida airport, USA Today reported that Toles had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia and had been in and out of at least 20 mental health facilities in the previous year and a half. Chuck Schilken, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'previous.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin praevius leading the way, from prae- pre- + via way — more at way

First Known Use

1621, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of previous was in 1621

Dictionary Entries Near previous

Cite this Entry

“Previous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/previous. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

previous

adjective
pre·​vi·​ous ˈprē-vē-əs How to pronounce previous (audio)
: going before in time or order : preceding, prior
previously adverb

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