prioritize

verb

pri·​or·​i·​tize prī-ˈȯr-ə-ˌtīz How to pronounce prioritize (audio)
-ˈär-;
ˈprī-ə-rə-
prioritized; prioritizing

transitive verb

: to list or rate (projects, goals, etc.) in order of priority
prioritization
prī-ˌȯr-ə-tə-ˈzā-shən How to pronounce prioritize (audio)
-är-;
ˌprī-ə-rə-
noun

Examples of prioritize in a Sentence

It's always difficult to prioritize work, school, and family. If you want to do your job efficiently, you have to learn to prioritize. The town council hopes to prioritize the bridge construction project at the next meeting.
Recent Examples on the Web In an effort to evince a more neutral position that had greater sympathy for the Palestinians, amid domestic pro-Palestinian political uproar, U.S. officials for weeks sought to put forward a resolution that prioritized a cease-fire. Laura King, Los Angeles Times, 22 Mar. 2024 Users should prioritize exchanges with transparent and verifiable physical addresses, which signifies legitimacy and aids in dispute resolution. Tyler Shepherd, The Arizona Republic, 21 Mar. 2024 San Jose has already launched artificial intelligence to determine whether AI can help the city detect, prioritize and repair potholes. George Avalos, The Mercury News, 19 Mar. 2024 That law has already transformed Hong Kong with authorities jailing dozens of political opponents, forcing civil society groups and outspoken media outlets to disband and transforming the once freewheeling city into one that prioritizes patriotism. Chris Lau, CNN, 19 Mar. 2024 Frey wants to prioritize budgeting and says the district has a spending, not a funding, problem Frey said the district doesn't have a funding issue, but a spending problem. Alec Johnson, Journal Sentinel, 19 Mar. 2024 When measuring success in the digital age, a new paradigm has shifted what companies prioritize. Jon Stojan, USA TODAY, 18 Mar. 2024 The concept of shareholder primacy started to take hold in the 1970s, per Tamir, who added that while companies started to prioritize this group, safeguards for workers were fading as union membership ebbed. Chloe Berger, Fortune, 18 Mar. 2024 The most recent attempt, Senate Bill 52, died after a compromise was reached between Republican leadership and Indianapolis leaders that prioritized maintenance on existing lanes and sought to limit the use of dedicated bus lanes. Rory Appleton, The Indianapolis Star, 11 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'prioritize.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1961, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of prioritize was in 1961

Dictionary Entries Near prioritize

Cite this Entry

“Prioritize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prioritize. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on prioritize

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