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

The singer’s initial remarks prior to sharing the video were brief, after an introduction by Johnson. — Chris Willman, Variety, 28 Sep. 2026

Verlander, who is currently in his second stint with the Tigers, was the oldest player in the majors prior to his retirement on Saturday. — Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 27 Sep. 2026

And with the Dolphins not adding another running back to the active roster prior to kickoff, Gordon will be the only tailback. — Miami Herald, 27 Sep. 2026

The petition argues that the decision was incorrect because mining hadn’t occurred on the property for years prior to 1976, said the alliance’s attorney, Henry Josefberg. — Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 27 Sep. 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