Usage of Prior to
Sometimes termed pompous or affected, prior to is a synonym of before that most often appears in rather formal contexts, such as the annual reports of corporations. It may occasionally emphasize the notion of anticipation.
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Synonyms
Examples of prior to in a Sentence
Alexander Mallin, ABC News, 10 Apr. 2024
To acquaint guests with the new resource, visitors can have a virtual video chat with the Accessibility Services team anytime from 30 to 2 days prior to their visit to determine a guest’s eligibility for DAS based on their individual needs.
—Elizabeth Rhodes, Travel + Leisure, 9 Apr. 2024
Forbes reported this week only two House representatives bought shares in Digital World Acquisition Corp. prior to the merger according to the latest available filings.
—Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 9 Apr. 2024
Because Zendaya was already a star prior to entering the MCU (even if Feige and Pascal had no idea), the additional fame that greeted her thanks to Marvel wasn’t too destabilizing for her personal life.
—Zack Sharf, Variety, 9 Apr. 2024
The Beatles tragically never reconvened in the studio prior to Lennon’s murder on Dec. 8, 1980 — robbing the world of more potential Beatles albums, and McCartney of his dear friend.
—Jordan Runtagh, Peoplemag, 29 Mar. 2024
The ship lost power and propulsion prior to crashing into the Baltimore bridge.
—Hannah Hudnall, USA TODAY, 29 Mar. 2024
Ball is a little over a year removed from ankle surgery, and he didn’t get cleared for contact following that procedure until October prior to the end of the Hornets’ preseason.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 28 Mar. 2024
There were no issues reported with the ship prior to its arrival in Baltimore, officials said Wednesday.
—Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN, 28 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'prior to.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near prior to
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“Prior to.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prior%20to. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
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