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

The apartment, a one-bedroom just under 1,000 square feet, is on the 12th floor of a prewar Art Deco condo at 61st and Madison. — Kim Velsey, Curbed, 16 Sep. 2026

Unlike Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar, Saudi Arabia has been able to maintain about two-thirds of its prewar oil exports by diverting oil shipments away from the Strait of Hormuz and through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait on its west coast. — Daniel Depetris, Chicago Tribune, 15 Sep. 2026

Reuters reported Friday that only seven vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, compared with a prewar daily average of 125, underscoring the pressure already facing the region’s other critical maritime choke point. — Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 11 Sep. 2026

But ship traffic through the strait remains well below prewar levels, according to independent firms that track marine traffic. — Aamer Madhani, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 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