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Meaning & use

in sequence

phrase·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ɪn ˈsiːkwəns/
US/ɪn ˈsiːkwəns/

Meanings

  1. phrasefixed phrase

    Happening or placed one after the other, in a fixed order, with nothing skipped.

    Grammar: Used as an adverbial phrase after a verb: the steps run in sequence.

    Patterns

    • do something in sequence
    • happen in sequence
    • arrange something in sequence
    • in sequence with something

    Press the two buttons in sequence, or the machine will stop.

    The dancers moved across the stage in sequence, each one following the last.

    Please number the pages in sequence so nothing gets lost.

  2. phrasefixed phrase

    Following a set order so that each item is matched with the correct next one.

    Grammar: Often used with words like number, file, or list to talk about correct matching order.

    Patterns

    • number something in sequence
    • file something in sequence
    • list something in sequence

    The clerk numbered the receipts in sequence before storing them.

    Make sure the samples are filed in sequence, or the results will be confusing.

Common combinations

in sequence with
The lights flash in sequence with the music.
run in sequence
The tests run in sequence, one after another.
number in sequence
She numbered the tickets in sequence from one to fifty.
in the correct sequence
If you do the exercises in the correct sequence, they make more sense.
a sequence of events
The report describes the sequence of events that led to the accident.

Synonyms and how they differ

in order
Very close in meaning, but 'in order' is more common in everyday speech and can also mean 'tidy' or 'acceptable'.
one after another
More conversational and stresses repetition; it does not suggest a planned or numbered order.
consecutively
More formal and usually about time or numbering, as in 'three days consecutively'.

Opposites

out of sequencerandomly

Word family

sequence noun
A set of things or events that follow one another in a particular order.
sequential adjective
Arranged or happening in a fixed order, one after the other.
sequentially adverb
In a fixed order, one item after the next.

Commonly confused: in sequence or in series? in sequence or in a row?

in sequence vs in series

'In series' is used for electrical circuits and for several similar events; 'in sequence' focuses on the order itself, especially a numbered or logical one.

in sequence vs in a row

'In a row' means repeatedly without a break, as in 'three wins in a row'; 'in sequence' is about following a set order, not about repetition.

Practice

The safety checks must be carried out ______, starting with the oldest equipment.

Make it your own

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