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

Trinity is, moreover, where Beckett first encountered Proust’s writing as an undergraduate studying modern languages, prior to arriving at the École Normale in Paris. —Literary Hub, 2 Feb. 2026

Be sure to eat well prior to donation, drink fluids and bring a photo ID. —Anne Gelhaus, Mercury News, 1 Feb. 2026

Curry initially started feeling discomfort in the knee prior to Sunday’s win over the Minnesota Timberwolves but played through the injury. —Nick Friedell, New York Times, 1 Feb. 2026

Despite the drop, December’s numbers remained above the six-month average prior to the increase in population. —Jason Henry, Daily News, 1 Feb. 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