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

According to Reuters, regional oil exports recovered to more than 80% of prewar levels in September and October, aided by CENTCOM and increased Saudi exports through the Red Sea. — Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 11 Nov. 2026

An independent review of birth data during the Tigray war from 2020 - 2022 showed that the maternal mortality rate per 100,000 live births increased fivefold, compared to prewar data. — Durrie Bouscaren, NPR, 10 Nov. 2026

If oil prices return to their prewar levels, Le Quéré and her colleagues expect to see emissions rise once more. — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 10 Nov. 2026

By comparison, the prewar sanctions that devastated Iran’s economy, hobbled its military, and discouraged it from seeking nuclear weapons were a bargain. — S. C. M. Paine, Foreign Affairs, 3 Nov. 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