previous

previous — adjective

1. happening, existing, or done earlier in time, order, or position — used to talk

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

happening, existing, or done earlier in time, order, or position — used to talk about a person, thing, or event that came before the current one you are referring to.

Example

Tunde left his previous job to start his own company.

collocation: previous job / previous employer

The garden looks much better than it did in previous years.

Common collocations
  • previous job / employer
  • previous year / month / week / night
  • previous experience
  • previous owner
  • previous marriage
  • previous attempt
  • previous version / model
Synonyms
  • prior

    more formal; common in legal, academic, or business writing

  • earlier

    broader in use; can refer to any point further back in time, not necessarily the immediately preceding one

  • former

    implies a role, position, or state that no longer applies

  • preceding

    refers to the one that comes immediately before in a sequence

Antonyms
  • next

    the one that comes after in order

  • following

    the one that comes immediately after

  • subsequent

    formal; happening after something else

Grammar Patterns

previous + noun

Usage Note

Always used directly before a noun. Cannot stand alone after a linking verb (❌ 'This is previous'). For the meaning 'last in a series', use 'last' or 'most recent' instead.

Common Mistakes

Previous year I went to Japan.
The previous year, I went to Japan.' or 'Last year, I went to Japan.
'previous' needs a determiner (the, my, his, etc.) or must be used with 'last' when referring to the most recent calendar period.
My previous phone's battery was better.' (when meaning 'my old phone')
My old phone's battery was better.
'previous' means 'before the current one', but 'old' is more natural when no longer in use.

previous — noun

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words can refer to something that comes before another in time or order, but they differ in tone and usage. 'Prior' is the most formal choice — you will find it in legal documents, official procedures, and academic writing ('prior notification', 'prior approval'). 'Former' has a narrower range: it describes a role, relationship, or state that no longer exists ('her former husband', 'the former president'), so it cannot replace 'previous' in general time references (you would not say 'former job' for the job you held before your current one — that is 'previous job'). 'Earlier' is the most flexible and conversational option, fitting any time comparison ('an earlier version', 'earlier this week') but sounding less precise than 'previous' when the sequence is clear. 'Preceding' is the most literal — it means 'coming just before in an ordered list or sequence' ('the preceding chapter', 'the preceding day') and is common in step-by-step instructions and numbered lists. When you are describing something that came directly before the current item in a clear sequence, 'previous' remains the natural, all-purpose choice.

prior ↗former ↗earlier ↗preceding

Common collocations

Nouns

  • previous + job
  • previous + year
  • previous + experience
  • previous + owner
  • previous + marriage
  • previous + attempt
  • previous + version
  • previous + convictions

Adverbs

  • immediately previous

Phrases

  • on a previous occasion
  • in previous years
  • without previous experience

Etymology

LatinAnglo-Norman FrenchEnglish

Comes from Latin 'praevius', meaning 'going before', formed from 'prae-' (before) and 'via' (road or way). The word entered English through Anglo-Norman French in the early 1600s, originally used in legal contexts. Its use as a noun (short for 'previous convictions') developed in British English by the mid-20th century.