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.
This scuttles a compromise, whereby paintings of Lee in his prewar blue Army uniform could remain while the portrait of Lee the secessionist and enslaver came down. Time, 5 Sep. 2025 While Bernhardt praises her gifts, the French diva doesn’t hold back in her stinging criticism of the production, calling it the same old prewar Italian theater, out of touch with the times. David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2025 Moreover, much of what the party advocates for, including rejecting gender equality, paring down individual freedoms in the constitution, reverting to the prewar educational system, and adhering to outright historical revisionism, has not gone mainstream. Mireya Solís, Foreign Affairs, 1 Sep. 2025 The interior features low bucket seats, tidy vinyl trim called Vynide, and a flat windshield in the spirit of prewar sports cars. Robert Ross, Robb Report, 29 Aug. 2025 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 10 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

prewar

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

More from Merriam-Webster on prewar

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