prioritize

especially British, pri·or·i·tise

[prahy-awr-i-tahyz, -or-]

verb (used with object)

prioritized, prioritizing 

1. to arrange or do in order of priority.

   learning to prioritize our assignments.

2. to give a high priority to.

verb (used without object)

prioritized, prioritizing 

1. to organize or deal with something according to its priority.

prioritize

/ praɪˈɒrɪˌtaɪz /

verb

1. to arrange (items to be attended to) in order of their relative importance

2. to give priority to or establish as a priority

Spelling Note

See -ize.

Other Word Forms

• prioritization noun
• reprioritization noun
• reprioritize verb (used with object)

Word History and Origins

Origin of prioritize¹

First recorded in 1965–70; priorit(y) + -ize

Example Sentences

FMC said it cut its dividend to “further prioritize debt reduction.”

Read more on Barron's

Those initiatives, Lyons said, placed “too much emphasis on pursuing in-quarter results as opposed to building long-term relationships by prioritizing business that both meets our clients’ needs and comes with high recurring revenue.”

Read more on MarketWatch

Cracks are beginning to show among lower-income consumers, with a weakening labor market and persistent inflation forcing some shoppers to hold off on purchases or prioritize necessities.

Read more on Barron's

For investors, the moves suggest big insurers are prioritizing stability by focusing on margin above all else—reducing much of the earnings risk that has dogged the sector in recent years.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

But lately, she’s been prioritizing William T. Harper’s book, “Eleven Days in Hell: The 1974 Carrasco Prison Siege at Huntsville, Texas,” which chronicles the true story of the standoff between inmates and law enforcement.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• compute 
• register 
• set up