prewar

adjective

pre·​war ˌprē-ˈwȯr How to pronounce prewar (audio)
variants or pre-war
: occurring or existing before a war and especially before World War II
prewar conditions
the prewar era/period/years
the country's prewar population
prewar levels of industrial production
an apartment in a prewar building

Examples of prewar in a Sentence

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.
Photo: Brown Harris Stevens Another co-op with a working fireplace, this prewar unit has preserved a lot of nice details, such as the herringbone floors and beamed ceilings. Clio Chang, Curbed, 5 Nov. 2024 After more than two years of Russia’s assault on Ukraine, street life in Kyiv — more than 200 miles from the nearest front line in the country’s east — is mostly back to its prewar vitality. Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2024 The club also helped popularize baseball in a series of prewar goodwill tours in Japan and Korea. Emilie Ikeda, NBC News, 29 Oct. 2024 An estimated 15,000 people remain in the city out of a prewar population of about 100,000, Mhanna said. Mohammed Zaatari and Kareem Chehayeb, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for prewar 

Word History

First Known Use

1868, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of prewar was in 1868

Dictionary Entries Near prewar

Cite this Entry

“Prewar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prewar. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

prewar

adjective
pre·​war
ˈprē-ˈwȯ(ə)r
: occurring or existing before a war

More from Merriam-Webster on prewar

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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