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
The crash resulted in the closing of all four lanes of I-695 prior to exit 30, MD 41 Perring Parkway, for over three hours.
—Andrew Adeolu, CBS News, 21 Dec. 2025
Arkansas had already witnessed nightriding violence several years prior to 1909.
—Arkansas Online, 20 Dec. 2025
In January 2011, writer Alex Ben Block shared interviews with Sharon and Monjack prior to his death, in which the screenwriter said Brittany tried to avoid the home at all costs.
—Hannah Chubb, PEOPLE, 20 Dec. 2025
Scott, who was a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award given annually to college football’s top defensive back, did a little bit of everything for Miami prior to the injury.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 20 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prior to
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Andrew Adeolu, CBS News, 21 Dec. 2025
Arkansas had already witnessed nightriding violence several years prior to 1909.
—Arkansas Online, 20 Dec. 2025
In January 2011, writer Alex Ben Block shared interviews with Sharon and Monjack prior to his death, in which the screenwriter said Brittany tried to avoid the home at all costs.
—Hannah Chubb, PEOPLE, 20 Dec. 2025
Scott, who was a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award given annually to college football’s top defensive back, did a little bit of everything for Miami prior to the injury.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 20 Dec. 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 21 Dec. 2025.
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