preceding use

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "preceding use" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to something that has been done or used before a certain point in time. For example: "This new law prohibits the preceding use of fossil fuels."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

We furthermore found that the preceding use of immunosuppressive drugs was more common in our herpes zoster patients than in the general population, even in the ages below 50 years.

BMC Infectious Diseases

New anti-TNF use (1.4%) was associated with younger age, absence of Medicaid coverage, hospitalisation, and higher preceding use of burst (IRR=2.35, CI 1.59 to 3.47) and maintenance steroids (IRR=2.40, CI 1.05 to 5.48).

BMJ Open

This suggests that preceding use of community care has a protective effect on clients' subsequent death or hospital admission in the short term but not in the long term.

BMC Geriatrics

For analyses of filled prescription for penicillin or amoxicillin as exposure, adjustment for potential confounders was performed similarly to the main analyses except for adjustment for preceding antibiotic use where estimates were adjusted for preceding use of penicillin V, amoxicillin, or macrolides.

British Medical Journal

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

The main themes the parliamentary inquiry will focus on are clarification of the government's policy and its legal basis, the decision-making process that precedes use of drones for targeted killing and subsequent legal accountability for lethal strikes.

The Guardian

Craving scores that preceded use were 2.7 times higher than scores that preceded abstinence.

Drug and Alcohol Dependence

Prescribed asthma medication usage was an acceptable outcome measure as it was assumed that physician-diagnosed asthma must precede use of prescription asthma medications.

BMC Pediatrics

Refinement and model building preceded using one molecule (chain A) in the asymmetric unit, with the other chains built using non-crystallographic symmetry operators.

Plosone

Re "Reefer Madness": The logic of the "gateway effect," which attributes hard drug use to preceding marijuana use, has never been able to reconcile the fact that 99.999percentt of all hard drug users started first with mothers' milk.

The New York Times

Cannabis may be used concomitantly to attenuate the dysphoric results of stimulant use, or cannabis use may precede stimulant use in a causal pathway where cannabis use leads to stimulant use and then to increased risk taking.

AIDS and Behavior

The overall cost of health services per client decreased during the 6 months of using telesurveillance compared to the 3 months preceding its use.

Health and Quality of Life Outcomes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing scientific papers, clearly define the timeframe you're referencing when using the phrase "preceding use" to avoid ambiguity. For example, "preceding use within the last year".

Common error

Avoid using "preceding use" without specifying the context or timeframe. This can lead to confusion about what is being referred to. Instead, provide specific details, such as "the preceding use of antibiotics in this patient" or "the preceding use of this software version".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "preceding use" functions as a noun modifier, specifically describing the type of use being referred to. According to Ludwig AI, this phrase is grammatically correct and usable in written English. It indicates that the use happened before a particular point in time or event.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

70%

News & Media

30%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "preceding use" is a grammatically sound and versatile term, predominantly employed in scientific and news-related contexts. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability for indicating actions that occurred before a specific point in time. While "preceding use" is common, providing specific context and timeframe enhances clarity. Alternatives like "prior usage" or "earlier utilization" can be considered for stylistic variation. Avoiding vagueness and supplying sufficient detail are essential to effective communication using the phrase "preceding use".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

prior usage

Swaps "use" for the synonym "usage" and "preceding" for "prior", both indicating something that happened before.

previous application

Replaces "use" with "application", emphasizing the act of putting something to a specific purpose, and "preceding" with "previous".

earlier utilization

Substitutes "use" with "utilization", suggesting a more formal or efficient application, and "preceding" with "earlier".

antecedent use

Replaces "preceding" with "antecedent", indicating something that comes before in time or order, thus offering a more formal tone.

past employment

Replaces "use" with "employment", stressing the act of utilizing something, and "preceding" with "past", referring to something that has already occurred.

historical application

Uses "application" instead of "use", and "historical" replaces "preceding" to convey the idea of something from the past being employed.

former exercise

Replaces "use" with "exercise", highlighting the act of using a right or quality, and "preceding" with "former", indicating a past state.

pre-existing utilization

Adds "existing" to emphasize that the utilization was already in place before a certain point. "Utilization" substitutes "use".

earlier implementation

Replaces "use" with "implementation", which emphasizes the action of putting something into effect. "Earlier" replaces "preceding".

prior actuation

Substitutes "use" with "actuation", highlighting the action of putting something into motion or effect. "Prior" replaces "preceding".

FAQs

How can I use "preceding use" in a sentence?

You can use "preceding use" to refer to something that was utilized before a specific time or event. For example, "The study examined the impact of the "preceding use" of pesticides on crop yields".

What's a more formal alternative to "preceding use"?

A more formal alternative is "prior usage". This term is often found in academic or technical writing.

Is it correct to say "the use preceding" instead of "preceding use"?

While grammatically understandable, "the use preceding" is less common and may sound awkward. Sticking to ""preceding use"" ensures clarity and aligns with standard English usage.

What's the difference between "preceding use" and "previous use"?

"Preceding use" and "previous use" are largely interchangeable. However, "preceding" can imply a more direct or immediate sequence, while "previous" is more general. The choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.