1
as in main
coming before all others in importance
this assignment will be prior to any other work you may have
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in previous
going before another in time or order
we've made prior arrangements
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of prior
Also adding to the cash injection for Kaleidoscope are prior investors like The Raine Group, former MTV leader Tom Freston and venture capital firm Nimble Ventures.
—
Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 14 July 2025
The man from Mexico had prior convictions for car theft and drug possession.
—Shelly Bradbury, Denver Post, 13 July 2025
From the fourth quarter of 2024 to the fourth quarter of 2025, Millar estimates the economy will grow a meager 0.5%, compared to 2.5% the prior year.
—Paul Davidson, USA Today, 13 July 2025
Contrast this with Forrester’s Total Economic Impact study of a leading CDP public cloud deployment, which showed that organizations achieved a 99.5% reduction in costs to scale data analytics and a 97.6% faster time to value compared to prior inelastic setups.
—Rafael Flores, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for prior
Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 14 July 2025
The man from Mexico had prior convictions for car theft and drug possession.
—Shelly Bradbury, Denver Post, 13 July 2025
From the fourth quarter of 2024 to the fourth quarter of 2025, Millar estimates the economy will grow a meager 0.5%, compared to 2.5% the prior year.
—Paul Davidson, USA Today, 13 July 2025
Contrast this with Forrester’s Total Economic Impact study of a leading CDP public cloud deployment, which showed that organizations achieved a 99.5% reduction in costs to scale data analytics and a 97.6% faster time to value compared to prior inelastic setups.
—Rafael Flores, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for prior
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prior
Adjective
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The Japan Meteorological Agency said a tsunami measuring 40 centimeters (1.3 feet) was detected in Tokachi, on the southern coast of Hokkaido, the northernmost of the country’s main islands.—
Mari Yamaguchi,
Chicago Tribune,
30 July 2025
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The three main causes of hydroplaning are: Vehicle speed - When a vehicle's speed increases, the tire-traction grip and ability to control the vehicle decreases.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
30 July 2025
Adjective
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This year's Run for the Roses also drew in the highest ever average viewership with nearly 18 million viewers, which is up 6% from the previous year.—
Olivia Evans,
The Courier-Journal,
24 July 2025
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Santa Marta also showed a 22.7% increase in international arrivals over the previous year, third among all Colombian cities in terms of the most rapid growth from abroad.—
Carley Rojas Ávila,
Forbes.com,
24 July 2025
Adjective
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No, corn sweat is not the primary cause behind the heat wave Cincinnati is experiencing this week.—
Grace Tucker,
The Enquirer,
24 July 2025
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Democrat Adelita Grijalva handily won Arizona's July 15 special primary election, securing a blowout victory that sets her up to succeed her father, the long-serving Rep. Raúl Grijalva, in Congress.—
Laura Gersony,
AZCentral.com,
23 July 2025
Adjective
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The project is the first to enlist youth to do this monitoring.—
Madeline Heim,
jsonline.com,
24 July 2025
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With the first two episodes already having so much drama, the rest of the summer is sure to be eventful.—
Dina Kaur,
AZCentral.com,
24 July 2025
Adjective
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Where in the past the predominant parties would at least pay lip service by either demanding higher taxes or lower spending, that appears to be out the window in DC these days.—
Michael Khouw,
CNBC,
24 July 2025
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Your predominant dosha—whether vata, pitta, or kapha—affects everything from your personality to your sleep tendencies.—
Anjana Rajbhandary,
Outside Online,
20 July 2025
Adjective
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That would make humans, rather than the moon, the dominant driver of changes to day length.—
Nell Greenfieldboyce,
NPR,
22 July 2025
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And with fewer dominant teams than usual at the break, this season has been ruled by fortune, good or bad, more than most in recent memory.—
Neil Paine,
New York Times,
22 July 2025
Adjective
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Just as Russia has declined in its military might since the break-up of the Soviet Union a generation ago, Grossfeld says, its status as one of the globe’s foremost space powers has likewise slipped away.—
Kevin Holden Platt,
Forbes.com,
23 July 2025
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But all that nuttiness took place a long time ago, under the influence, and, according to the world’s foremost Ozzy authority, such is not really the case.—
Erik Hedegaard,
Rolling Stone,
22 July 2025
Adjective
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Across the political spectrum, families agree that the federal government should play a leading role in helping schools identify effective practices and scale successful interventions.—
Sara Schapiro,
Forbes.com,
30 July 2025
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The event — which in the past has been attended by key figures in the tech industry, including Elon Musk and Jack Ma — features technology exhibitions, expert keynotes and discussion panels in a bid to further AI research, development and governance, something China hopes to play a leading role in.—
Rebecca Cairns,
CNN Money,
29 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Prior.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prior. Accessed 4 Aug. 2025.
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