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
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Publishers Weekly
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
Dansby Swanson, whom Hoyer signed to a seven-year, $177 million deal — one of the largest contracts in franchise history — prior to the 2023 season, has grown close to Hoyer in his two-plus years with the team.
—Sahadev Sharma, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
Nash became head coach prior to the 2020-21 season.
—Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Mar. 2025
House Speaker Matthew Ritter, D-Hartford, said the Republican leadership had not spoken to him prior to Thursday about creating an inspector general’s office to investigate issues in state government.
—Andrew Brown, Hartford Courant, 27 Mar. 2025
Viju Mathew Shifting gears from his degree in physical geography, Viju Mathew has spent the last decade covering most categories of the luxury market prior to becoming Robb Report's automotive editor.
—Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 16 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prior to
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Sahadev Sharma, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
Nash became head coach prior to the 2020-21 season.
—Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Mar. 2025
House Speaker Matthew Ritter, D-Hartford, said the Republican leadership had not spoken to him prior to Thursday about creating an inspector general’s office to investigate issues in state government.
—Andrew Brown, Hartford Courant, 27 Mar. 2025
Viju Mathew Shifting gears from his degree in physical geography, Viju Mathew has spent the last decade covering most categories of the luxury market prior to becoming Robb Report's automotive editor.
—Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 16 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prior to
Cite this Entry
“Prior to.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prior%20to. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.
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