prior to

preposition

: in advance of : before

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

Synonyms of prior to

• before
• previous to
• to

Examples of prior to in a Sentence

make sure all revisions are approved by the author prior to publication

Recent Examples on the Web

Information about the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Debit Card has been collected independently by CNBC Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of the card prior to publication. — Ryley Amond, CNBC, 14 July 2026

Gatewood and Todd have high praise for their two young stars — Cantrall and Baker — who helped guide the greener actors, some of whom had never been on a set prior to Wicked Wonderland. — Kimberly Nordyke, HollywoodReporter, 14 July 2026

Back on Earth, three independent medical experts compared the Fram2 X-rays with similar X-rays taken prior to launch. — Keith Cooper, Space.com, 14 July 2026

Using the example of a container traveling from Shanghai to Dubai, Jensen noted that in the 12 months prior to the Hormuz crisis, the average spot rate for a TEU was $1,430. — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 14 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1706, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for prior to

• accrue
• ado
• ainu
• aircrew
• airscrew
• anew
• askew
• baboo
• babu
• bamboo
• beaucoup
• bijou

Kids Definition

prior to

preposition

: in advance of : before