priority
Americannoun
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the state or quality of being earlier in time, occurrence, etc.
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the right to precede others in order, rank, privilege, etc.; precedence.
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the right to take precedence in obtaining certain supplies, services, facilities, etc., especially during a shortage.
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something given special attention.
adjective
noun
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the condition of being prior; antecedence; precedence
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the right of precedence over others
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something given specified attention
my first priority
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of priority
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Middle French priorite, from Medieval Latin priōritās; see prior 1, -ity
Explanation
When a group or a person cares about one thing over all others, that’s the top priority. “After the flood, finding a place to live became their first priority.” Priority comes from the word prior, which means to come before something else. A priority is the concern, interest or desire that comes before all others. “His first priority was to establish his career and get married later.” “When seeking the perfect wave, Jeff and Wayne made it their priority to be the first surfers on the beach.” "The new CEO's top priority was firing her predecessor's hires."
Vocabulary lists containing priority
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
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List 8
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Bush's Address on 9/11
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Travelers visiting Gameway can pay a fee to game or use Priority Pass, a lounge benefit that comes with certain credit cards.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 10, 2026
Once the incident was elevated to Priority 1, others officers got involved.
From Los Angeles Times • May 22, 2026
Priority is given to the team in the higher-ranked competition - this could apply if one team is in, say, Champions League qualifying and could drop into the Europa League.
From BBC • Apr. 27, 2026
Revolution Medicines will submit the results to global regulators, including the Food and Drug Administration as part of a future New Drug Application under a Commissioner’s National Priority Voucher, the company said.
From Barron's • Apr. 13, 2026
I had made it my Priority One Goal in life never to let Trent Bolger, or any of his Soulless Minions of Orthodoxy, learn the Persian pronunciation of my name, which is Darr-yoosh.
From "Darius the Great Is Not Okay" by Adib Khorram
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
