Learn English – Are prior, previous, and preceding interchangeable

collocationusage

If I have four moments in time (A, B, C, D), where moment D is the present, would previous, preceding, and prior be interchangeable as adjectives to refer to moments A-C? Is one of them more likely to refer to moment C, the moment immediately before the present?

The sources I've been searching (excluding OED, which I can't access) call them synonyms and/or interchangeable when meaning "before". One stipulation I've read and whose veracity I can't attest, states (in comparing prior and previous) that

usually 'prior experience' is experience of the same type.

That doesn't help me. My specific need is in referring to moments B and C but NOT moment A. I would say something like,

"Moment D is the same as the previous two moments", and the statement would unambiguously refer to moments B and C.

PS – I have very little space on the page to make this statement, which is why I can't be more specific.

Thanks for any usage advice or collocation stats on these terms.

Best Answer

Since you can't access OED, I'm quoting the definitions:

prior

  • Existing or coming before in time, order, or importance:

previous:

  • Existing or occurring before in time or order:

precede:

  • Come before (something) in time:

  • Come before in order or position:

None of them unambiguously preclude A, in my opinion.

You need more words. You should say something like:

"Moment D is the same as the two moments immediately preceding it"

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