prior to

preposition

: in advance of : before
Usage of Prior to

Sometimes termed pompous or affected, prior to is a synonym of before that most often appears in rather formal contexts, such as the annual reports of corporations. It may occasionally emphasize the notion of anticipation.

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

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.
But very little was known about the bones prior to the latest study. Raja Krishnamoorthi, Newsweek, 16 Dec. 2024 Scholz's traffic-light coalition took over the country during the COVID-19 pandemic and just a couple of months prior to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. H.j. Mai, NPR, 16 Dec. 2024 The Seattle Seahawks had won four straight games and surged to an 8-5 record prior to Sunday. Rob Reischel, Forbes, 15 Dec. 2024 Video footage was recovered showing the owner walking the three dogs toward the park prior to the attack. Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 15 Dec. 2024 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

Dictionary Entries Near prior to

Cite this Entry

“Prior to.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prior%20to. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

prior to

preposition
: in advance of : before

More from Merriam-Webster on prior to

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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