noun
Common
proceeding
pruh-SEE-dihng
Proceeding (noun) means a formal step or action taken as part of a process, especially a legal one. Example: “The judge opened the proceedings by asking everyone in the courtroom to sit down.”
noun
1
A formal step or action taken as part of a process, especially a legal one.
"The judge opened the proceedings by asking everyone in the courtroom to sit down."
"Divorce proceedings can be stressful, so many couples look for a calmer way to settle."
"The court proceedings dragged on for over a year."
2
A published collection of papers or a record from an academic conference.
"The society prints the proceedings of its annual meeting every autumn."
"You can find her paper in the proceedings of last year's engineering conference."
"His research was published in the conference proceedings."
How to use proceeding
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA step taken in a process, or (in the plural) the official record of what happened at a meeting or trial.
Common pairings
legal proceedings
court proceedings
conference proceedings
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like proceeding.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- proceedings
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The judge opened the _____ by asking everyone in the courtroom to sit down.
Etymology
From proceed + -ing.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for proceeding
needing
feeding
weeding
seeding
bleeding
breeding
speeding
receding
exceeding
preceding
succeeding
inbreeding
See all rhymes for proceeding →
Frequently asked questions
What does “proceeding” mean?
The word “proceeding” means a formal step or action taken as part of a process, especially a legal one. In plain terms, a step taken in a process, or (in the plural) the official record of what happened at a meeting or trial.
How do you pronounce “proceeding”?
“Proceeding” is pronounced pruh-SEE-dihng (/pɹəˈsiːdɪŋ/ in IPA).
How do you use “proceeding” in a sentence?
Here is “proceeding” used in a sentence: “The court proceedings dragged on for over a year.”
What part of speech is “proceeding”?
“Proceeding” is a noun.
Is “proceeding” a common word?
“Proceeding” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “proceeding” have?
“Proceeding” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a formal step or action taken as part of a process, especially a legal one.
What is the difference between a proceeding and a procedure?
A proceeding is a formal step or action taken as part of a process, often a legal one, such as a court proceeding, while a procedure is the set method or series of steps used to accomplish something. Proceedings tend to refer to formal, often legal, events, whereas procedures describe general instructions or routines.
What does proceedings mean in a legal context?
In legal use, proceedings refers to the formal actions and steps taken in a court case or official process, such as bringing legal proceedings against someone. It covers the entire sequence of formal steps rather than a single action.
What does proceedings mean in an academic context?
In academic writing, proceedings refers to a published collection of papers or a record from a conference, such as the conference proceedings. This sense is unrelated to legal action and instead describes a formal published record of presented research.
