prewar

adjective

pre·​war ˌprē-ˈwȯr How to pronounce prewar (audio)
variants or pre-war
: occurring or existing before a war and especially before World War II
prewar conditions
the prewar era/period/years
the country's prewar population
prewar levels of industrial production
an apartment in a prewar building

Examples of prewar in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Despite being an increase since Wednesday, when just five ships had transited through the strait in the first 24 hours following the deal, traffic is still significantly below the prewar average of more than 100 vessels passing through the waterway daily. Nbc News, NBC news, 10 Apr. 2026 Oil loaded before the war takes four to six weeks to reach its destination, and that prewar inventory is only now arriving at ports. Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 10 Apr. 2026 The actual transit volumes may be higher than the data suggests, as many tankers turn off their transponders to avoid potential targeting by Iran, but remain at a fraction of prewar levels. Anniek Bao,joseph Wilkins, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2026 After the moves, only about 425 JASSM-ER out of a prewar inventory of 2,300 will remain available for the rest of the globe. Bloomberg News, Boston Herald, 5 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for prewar

Word History

First Known Use

1868, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of prewar was in 1868

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Cite this Entry

“Prewar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prewar. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

prewar

adjective
pre·​war
ˈprē-ˈwȯ(ə)r
: occurring or existing before a war

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