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.
Just days prior to Hawkins’s arrest, a woman was fatally set on fire while sleeping on a subway train at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue station. Ray Lewis, Baltimore Sun, 15 Jan. 2025 As Kursk is likely to be a crucial part of ceasefire talks with President-elect , both sides will want to retain as much of the territory as possible prior to the commencement of peace negotiations. Maya Mehrara, Newsweek, 14 Jan. 2025 Hegseth only met with one Democrat prior to the hearing—Senator Jack Reed of Delaware, the top Democrat on the committee. Nik Popli, TIME, 14 Jan. 2025 Both Gulf News and Slovenske Notice reported that the suspect had a history of mental health issues prior to his arrest. Liam Quinn, People.com, 14 Jan. 2025 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 18 Jan. 2025.

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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