prior to

preposition

: in advance of : before

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

Synonyms of prior to

• before
• previous to
• to

Examples of prior to in a Sentence

make sure all revisions are approved by the author prior to publication

Recent Examples on the Web

Chamberlain allegedly pointed a handgun at the third man prior to Marshall’s arrival. — Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 July 2026

Schuon succeeds Damon Whiteside, who stepped down on June 30 after announcing his intention to leave prior to this year’s ACM Awards. — Chris Willman, Variety, 21 July 2026

According to Don Gosen, co-owner of Copper Mule Distillery, Missouri had a vibrant distilling industry prior to the start of Prohibition in 1920. — Karla Walsh, Southern Living, 21 July 2026

Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz and Ryan Gravenberch, who all went out of the World Cup at the last-32 stage, will link up with the squad prior to the second game against Wrexham in New York. — James Pearce, New York Times, 21 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1706, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for prior to

• accrue
• ado
• ainu
• aircrew
• airscrew
• anew
• askew
• baboo
• babu
• bamboo
• beaucoup
• bijou

Kids Definition

prior to

preposition

: in advance of : before