Usage of Prior to
Although prior to is occasionally criticized as a pretentious way of saying before, it is well-established in formal contexts, such as the annual reports of corporations. In some of these contexts, it serves to emphasize the procedural nature of something.
page makeup decisions are verified and approved prior to typesetting
—
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
While Schmid fills the role of a high-end backup, Florida still needs to acquire a starting-caliber goaltender prior to the start of the season with both Sergei Bobrovsky and Daniil Tarasov departing.
—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
30 June 2026
People are being asked to have their trash and recycling at the curb at least one hour prior to their normal pickup time.
—
Mike Darnay,
CBS News,
30 June 2026
The complaint claims prior to departure, forecasts from the National Weather Service (NWS) indicated turbulence would be present above the mountains east of Salt Lake City.
—
Colson Thayer,
PEOPLE,
30 June 2026
After all, seven out of the last 12 acting performances to have won Oscars are for films that premiered prior to the fall festival season, which was long seen as the optimal launchpad for awards contenders.
—
Marcus Jones,
IndieWire,
30 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for prior to
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Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
30 June 2026
People are being asked to have their trash and recycling at the curb at least one hour prior to their normal pickup time.
—
Mike Darnay,
CBS News,
30 June 2026
The complaint claims prior to departure, forecasts from the National Weather Service (NWS) indicated turbulence would be present above the mountains east of Salt Lake City.
—
Colson Thayer,
PEOPLE,
30 June 2026
After all, seven out of the last 12 acting performances to have won Oscars are for films that premiered prior to the fall festival season, which was long seen as the optimal launchpad for awards contenders.
—
Marcus Jones,
IndieWire,
30 June 2026
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 1 Jul. 2026.
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