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
Thomas asked anyone who was in contact with Mott prior to the incident to contact the department.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026
Fudd missed the Dallas Wings’ home opener Tuesday with a right knee injury, the team announced prior to tipoff against the Atlanta Dream.
—Brian Hamilton, New York Times, 13 May 2026
The only other base-runner Weathers permitted prior to Rutschman’s single came on a free pass in the fifth frame.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 12 May 2026
The move is a part of game-changing shake-up of AMPAS’s eligibility rules announced just prior to Cannes.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 12 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for prior to
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Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026
Fudd missed the Dallas Wings’ home opener Tuesday with a right knee injury, the team announced prior to tipoff against the Atlanta Dream.
—Brian Hamilton, New York Times, 13 May 2026
The only other base-runner Weathers permitted prior to Rutschman’s single came on a free pass in the fifth frame.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 12 May 2026
The move is a part of game-changing shake-up of AMPAS’s eligibility rules announced just prior to Cannes.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 12 May 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 14 May. 2026.
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