prior to

preposition

Synonyms of prior tonext
: in advance of : before
Usage of Prior to

Although prior to is occasionally criticized as a pretentious way of saying before, it is well-established in formal contexts, such as the annual reports of corporations. In some of these contexts, it serves to emphasize the procedural nature of something.

page makeup decisions are verified and approved prior to typesetting —Publishers Weekly

Synonyms of prior to

Relevance
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Examples of prior to in a Sentence

make sure all revisions are approved by the author prior to publication
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Winn lined a two-out single to right field in the seventh off Alex McFarlane (0-1), who was recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley prior to the game, to drive in Jordan Walker. — CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026 The hall was established in 1970 and had 254 members prior to this announcement. — Chris Willman, Variety, 11 Aug. 2026 This is a relatively new phenomenon—for four decades straight, prior to 2022, young college graduates had lower unemployment numbers than the general population did. — Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 11 Aug. 2026 But prior to stopping Leonard cold, the Pats allowed 11 straight completions during one stretch of team drills, a time that came after Leonard opened 8-of-8 with a couple of sacks. — Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 11 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for prior to

Word History

First Known Use

1706, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of prior to was in 1706

Rhymes for prior to

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Browse Nearby Words

priorship
prior to
priory
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Cite this Entry

“Prior to.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prior%20to. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

prior to

preposition
: in advance of : before

More from Merriam-Webster on prior to

Nglish: Translation of prior to for Spanish Speakers

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