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.
The conference comes as traffic through the critical shipping lane remains well below prewar levels. Christopher Cann, USA Today, 17 Apr. 2026 That spike—and especially the likelihood that after the conflict ends, costs will remain well above the prewar level—is hitting the weaklings far harder than the thriving warriors, especially the two biggest profitmakers, Delta and United. Shawn Tully, Fortune, 17 Apr. 2026 Iran internet blackout enters 46th day, straining economy Web traffic in the country is around 1% of prewar levels; Starlink is blocked using military-grade jamming, Tom’s Hardware reported, and possession of a terminal is a crime anyway. Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 16 Apr. 2026 The exact numbers are unclear, but the current traffic is a trickle compared with the prewar average of more than 100 vessels sailing through the strait daily. Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 10 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 19 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

prewar

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

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