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.
More than 15 million people have been displaced, one of every three of the country's prewar population. Emmanuel Akinwotu, NPR, 6 May 2025 Measuring around 2,500 square feet, the apartment sits on the ninth and 10th floors of the prewar building. Vivian Marino, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2025 Most of the apartment’s large prewar proportions remain the same, though the galley kitchen has been updated. Nick Caruso, TVLine, 21 Apr. 2025 By some estimates, three-quarters of Khartoum’s prewar population of eight million has fled. Declan Walsh, New York Times, 19 Apr. 2025 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

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Cite this Entry

“Prewar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prewar. Accessed 25 May. 2025.

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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