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

People are being asked to have their trash and recycling at the curb at least one hour prior to their normal pickup time. — Mike Darnay, CBS News, 30 June 2026

The congressman had not publicly addressed the reason for his absence prior to Tuesday, raising questions on his whereabouts. — Lalee Ibssa, ABC News, 30 June 2026

Each guest must also complete and return a Promotions Release and Affidavit for Guests prior to prize fulfillment or venue entry. — AJC.com, 30 June 2026

After all, seven out of the last 12 acting performances to have won Oscars are for films that premiered prior to the fall festival season, which was long seen as the optimal launchpad for awards contenders. — Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 30 June 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