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
Vozinha’s dad spoke to Telemundo Deportes prior to the match and revealed that his son is named after a Brazilian soccer player.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 16 June 2026
Researchers have been trying to develop a test for CTE prior to death, but there are currently no advances.
—Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 16 June 2026
Varland, the American League’s top reliever thus far, had only allowed two runs prior to Goldschmidt’s two-run, go-ahead blast, which sparked a 3-1 victory for the Yankees.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 16 June 2026
Parisi Coffee, which neighbors the popup, has been fueling fans with espresso prior to their trip to the Fan Fest.
—Kansas City Star, 16 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for prior to
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Andrew Greif, NBC news, 16 June 2026
Researchers have been trying to develop a test for CTE prior to death, but there are currently no advances.
—Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 16 June 2026
Varland, the American League’s top reliever thus far, had only allowed two runs prior to Goldschmidt’s two-run, go-ahead blast, which sparked a 3-1 victory for the Yankees.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 16 June 2026
Parisi Coffee, which neighbors the popup, has been fueling fans with espresso prior to their trip to the Fan Fest.
—Kansas City Star, 16 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 22 Jun. 2026.
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