How to Use precedent in a Sentence

precedent

noun
  • The judge's ruling was based on legal precedent.
  • He says that the government will set a dangerous precedent if it refuses to allow the protesters to hold a rally.
  • The judge's ruling was based on a precedent established by an earlier decision.
  • There is a kind of precedent for the case.
    — ABC News, 19 May 2026
  • These events have set a dark precedent.
    — Elizabeth Bruenig, The Atlantic, 28 Jan. 2026
  • What was the precedent for a strike?
    — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2025
  • What kind of precedent does this set?
    — Max Tani, semafor.com, 19 Sep. 2025
  • There wasn’t much precedent to lean on.
    — New Atlas, 28 Jan. 2026
  • But there’s precedent for this type of chaos.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 9 Feb. 2026
  • There’s precedent for such a spinoff.
    — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 4 Mar. 2026
  • There are past precedents for how that is not true.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 3 June 2026
  • Aysha, is there any precedent for this?
    — Dana Taylor, USA Today, 6 Feb. 2026
  • The tools are there, and the precedents are clear.
    — Asad Ramzanali, Time, 6 Oct. 2025
  • There’s good precedent for this.
    — David Phelan, Forbes.com, 18 Jan. 2026
  • There is some precedent for this kind of high/low move.
    — Merle Ginsberg, HollywoodReporter, 18 Mar. 2026
  • For one, there’s not much of a precedent to work with.
    — The Athletic Nhl, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
  • For the record, there’s precedent for this sort of thing.
    — Kevin Sherrington feb. 4, Dallas Morning News, 4 Feb. 2026
  • But the precedent was set that that kind of movie could get you in.
    — Derek Lawrence, EW.com, 30 Apr. 2021
  • Nushaj said this is not the precedent that should be set in any city.
    — Gino Vicci, CBS News, 9 May 2026
  • And that’s now a precedent that the Democrats will use.
    — Max Tani, semafor.com, 19 Sep. 2025
  • There had been no prior precedent for that idea.
    — Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 19 Feb. 2026
  • Rose is not alone in pointing to precedent.
    — Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025
  • That sort of end run would not be without precedent.
    — Sacramento Bee Contributor, Sacbee.com, 29 Apr. 2026
  • The precedent will not stop with the sheriff.
    — Matthew J. Frauenfeld, Mercury News, 12 Sep. 2025
  • There is precedent for this kind of response.
    — Lucy Lang, Time, 10 June 2026
  • What precedent is there for such a large meeting?
    — Sarah Fortinsky, The Hill, 29 Sep. 2025
  • There is a precedent here in moving back late in the first round.
    — Paul Dehner Jr., Cincinnati.com, 9 Apr. 2018
  • Today, the truth has been heard and precedent has been set.
    — Martha Ross, Mercury News, 7 Apr. 2026
  • Yeah, that is a break with precedent, but not a surprise.
    — Dana Taylor, USA Today, 19 June 2026
  • But the court has not yet overturned that precedent.
    — Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 22 Sep. 2025

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

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