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
Hargan signed with Cleveland out of Ball State University and pitched four seasons in the minor leagues prior to his 1965 debut.
—Jon Paul Hoornstra, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Nov. 2025
Receiver Tanook Hines started Friday night but was listed as questionable on the Big Ten Conference’s official availability report that was released prior to the game.
—Haley Sawyer, Oc Register, 8 Nov. 2025
Hearing hints at possible appeal by Miller One twist prior to the sentencing hearing was a motion by Galaviz to withdraw as Miller’s attorney for the case.
—Jim Riccioli, jsonline.com, 8 Nov. 2025
His favorite full-time job, prior to now, was ESPN Outdoors in the early 2000s.
—Jon Walker, Arkansas Online, 8 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prior to
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Jon Paul Hoornstra, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Nov. 2025
Receiver Tanook Hines started Friday night but was listed as questionable on the Big Ten Conference’s official availability report that was released prior to the game.
—Haley Sawyer, Oc Register, 8 Nov. 2025
Hearing hints at possible appeal by Miller One twist prior to the sentencing hearing was a motion by Galaviz to withdraw as Miller’s attorney for the case.
—Jim Riccioli, jsonline.com, 8 Nov. 2025
His favorite full-time job, prior to now, was ESPN Outdoors in the early 2000s.
—Jon Walker, Arkansas Online, 8 Nov. 2025
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 10 Nov. 2025.
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