The word "preceeded" describes the act of coming before, so it's important to have a good range of synonyms on hand to avoid repetition in writing. Some good options include "preceded," "led," "paved the way for," "came before," "went ahead of," "headed," "introduced," "ushered in," "began," and "initiated." Each of these words can be used to convey the same general sense of something or someone coming before another thing or event. Choosing the right word will depend on the context and tone of the writing and can help to convey a specific meaning or mood.