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
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Trump could also count on the support of many Republicans and others who recalled that prior to COVID-19 shutdowns that began in March 2020, his term had been marked by gains in jobs and the stock market. Todd Spangler, Detroit Free Press, 6 Nov. 2024 As for Election Day itself, eight of the 10 elections over the past 40 years have been up days, with an average gain of 0.9%, according to CFRA Research (Note: The stock markets were closed on the Tuesday of Election Day prior to 1984). Bob Pisani, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2024 Mark Hughes Godzilla Sequel Box Office Odds The re-release coincided with TOHO’s 70th anniversary celebration Godzilla panel at New York Comic Con the previous weekend, with the re-release announced prior to the panel event. Mark Hughes, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024 And prior to that, Wonder hadn’t played Minnesota since 1986. Ross Raihala, Twin Cities, 28 Oct. 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 20 Nov. 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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