Usage of Prior to
Although prior to is occasionally criticized as a pretentious way of saying before, it is well-established in formal contexts, such as the annual reports of corporations. In some of these contexts, it serves to emphasize the procedural nature of something.
page makeup decisions are verified and approved prior to typesetting
—
Publishers Weekly
Publishers Weekly
Examples of prior to in a Sentence
make sure all revisions are approved by the author prior to publication
Recent Examples on the Web
Stopping the chant has proven hard for Mexico Initially, Mexican soccer federation officials argued that the chant wasn’t aimed at gay people and that the word had different connotations in Mexican culture, but prior to the 2018 World Cup launched social media campaigns that did not succeed.
—Carlos Rodriguez, Chicago Tribune, 21 Apr. 2026
The biggest domino to fall in the art world, so far, has been Art Dubai, the region’s premier fair prior to the launch of Art Basel Qatar and Frieze Abu Dhabi.
—Bella Bromberg, ARTnews.com, 21 Apr. 2026
After moving on from Von Miller prior to last season, the team tried another veteran, Joey Bosa.
—Dan Zaksheske, FOXNews.com, 21 Apr. 2026
In 2018, prior to her graduation, Iyanna spoke about her experience being a Black student at a predominantly white school for a panel at her high school.
—Courtney Young, PEOPLE, 20 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for prior to
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Carlos Rodriguez, Chicago Tribune, 21 Apr. 2026
The biggest domino to fall in the art world, so far, has been Art Dubai, the region’s premier fair prior to the launch of Art Basel Qatar and Frieze Abu Dhabi.
—Bella Bromberg, ARTnews.com, 21 Apr. 2026
After moving on from Von Miller prior to last season, the team tried another veteran, Joey Bosa.
—Dan Zaksheske, FOXNews.com, 21 Apr. 2026
In 2018, prior to her graduation, Iyanna spoke about her experience being a Black student at a predominantly white school for a panel at her high school.
—Courtney Young, PEOPLE, 20 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for prior to
Cite this Entry
“Prior to.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prior%20to. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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