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
Kent did meet with both Vance and Gabbard on Tuesday, one day prior to tendering his resignation, people familiar with the meeting told the Washington Examiner.
—Christian Datoc, The Washington Examiner, 22 Mar. 2026
Northbrook police said the subjects fled the area prior to officers arriving on scene.
—Pioneer Press, Chicago Tribune, 22 Mar. 2026
In an unpredictable twist, Mbiya — who had logged only 10 total minutes in the month of March prior to Friday — played a career-high 16 minutes.
—Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 21 Mar. 2026
For example, one of the Boston Marathon bombers purchased fireworks at a Phantom Fireworks in New Hampshire two months prior to the 2013 attack, according to court records.
—Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 21 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for prior to
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Christian Datoc, The Washington Examiner, 22 Mar. 2026
Northbrook police said the subjects fled the area prior to officers arriving on scene.
—Pioneer Press, Chicago Tribune, 22 Mar. 2026
In an unpredictable twist, Mbiya — who had logged only 10 total minutes in the month of March prior to Friday — played a career-high 16 minutes.
—Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 21 Mar. 2026
For example, one of the Boston Marathon bombers purchased fireworks at a Phantom Fireworks in New Hampshire two months prior to the 2013 attack, according to court records.
—Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 21 Mar. 2026
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 29 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
