prewar

adjective

pre·​war ˌprē-ˈwȯr 

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

Shipping trackers continue to show a rate of passage dramatically below prewar levels. — Vivian Salama, The Atlantic, 21 Aug. 2026

According to Axios, the US military has helped ferry crude through the Strait of Hormuz, driving overall levels of exports through the key waterway to about half of prewar levels and undermining Iranian efforts to control the crossing. — Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 20 Aug. 2026

The waterway has been largely blocked to commercial transit compared to prewar levels, when 20% of the world's oil trade would pass through it. — Kevin Breuninger,sawdah Bhaimiya, CNBC, 17 Aug. 2026

The currency, meanwhile, has fallen more than 10% from its prewar level, adding to the economic pressure on Iranians. — Magdalena Del Valle, Fortune, 13 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1868, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for prewar

• abhor
• abor
• adore
• afore
• ardour
• ashore
• backdoor
• before
• bookstore
• candour
• centaur
• claymore

Kids Definition

prewar

adjective

pre·​war

ˈprē-ˈwȯ(ə)r

: occurring or existing before a war