prioritize

American  

[prahy-awr-i-tahyz, -or-] / praɪˈɔr ɪˌtaɪz, -ˈɒr- /

especially British, prioritise

verb (used with object)

• prioritizes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• prioritized,
  past participle,  past
• prioritizing
  present participle

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)

• prioritizes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• prioritized,
  past participle,  past
• prioritizing
  present participle

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

prioritize British  

/ 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

See -ize.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

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

Inflected Forms

Participles

• prioritizing
  present
• prioritized
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• prioritize
  simple
• prioritizes
  simple
• have prioritized
  perfect
• has prioritized
  perfect
• am prioritizing
  progressive
• are prioritizing
  progressive
• is prioritizing
  progressive
• have been prioritizing
  perfect progressive
• has been prioritizing
  perfect progressive

Past

• prioritized
  simple
• had prioritized
  perfect
• was prioritizing
  progressive
• were prioritizing
  progressive
• had been prioritizing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will prioritize
  simple
• will have prioritized
  perfect
• will be prioritizing
  progressive
• will have been prioritizing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of prioritize

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

Explanation

Prioritize means to rank in order of importance. There are so many great clubs and activities to get involved in––you should be sure to prioritize the ones you like, or you'll get burned out. Prioritize can also mean to set something at the top of a ranking system. By prioritizing healthy eating and exercise, you can lose weight and stay in shape. In the same way, when something is a priority, it usually means it has a high priority, or as some like to say, "priority number one."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

prioritize prioritizes prioritized prioritizing

"Across several kinds of brain cells, this paired view revealed a consistent signature of 3D genome reorganization in Alzheimer's disease and helped us prioritize regulatory regions for future mechanistic and therapeutic investigation."

From Science Daily ● Sep. 13, 2026

Coverage should not prioritize "clicks, engagement, or sensationalism," the spokesperson said.

From Barron's ● Aug. 31, 2026

C-suite quote: “Most notably, higher and more volatile fuel prices have forced customers to further prioritize purchases with a focus on value and affordability,” Chief Executive Todd Vasos said on a call with analysts Thursday.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026

If the Angels — whether under current owner Arte Moreno or a future owner — wish to develop the 150-acre Angel Stadium property, state law would prioritize affordable housing within the site.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2026

I made a mental list of what I wanted to prioritize in my life—things like community service and charitable work were on the top.

From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad

“It is the leading edge of a system that lacks accountability, effective monitoring, and prioritizes inputs rather than outcomes.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 15, 2026

“While direct-to-consumer platforms have increased patient access to GLP-1 receptor agonists, these findings suggest that some do so through impersonal care that prioritizes quick prescriptions over comprehensive care,” the researchers wrote.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 7, 2026

The idea was to embed prevention specialists within targeting teams and foster a culture that prioritizes civilian security in accordance with U.S. law and international rules of war.

From Salon ● Jul. 7, 2026

The strategy can appear somewhat random because it prioritizes gathering information over directly pursuing the answer.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 19, 2026

The negativity could actually be a boon for Apple, which has long marketed itself as a company that prioritizes user privacy and safety.

From Barron's ● Jun. 5, 2026

But my job, what I prioritized, is keeping it light.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 5, 2026

"I believe that shared safety standards and international coordination on further AI development need to be prioritized now," OpenIA's Pachocki said on Thursday.

From Barron's ● Sep. 3, 2026

“They have prioritized saving and finding a stable career that doesn’t require a lot of student-loan debt.”

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 1, 2026

Since becoming mayor in January, Mamdani has widened bike lanes, announced plans for new bike boulevards and prioritized improving pedestrian walkways.

From Salon ● Aug. 27, 2026

For the first time at Duke, I prioritized my personal happiness.

From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad

That trend, they said, “suggests younger consumers are prioritizing purchases and experiences that deliver immediate gratification — consistent with the ‘little treat economy.’”

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 15, 2026

Here’s the short version: Tradwives promote a traditional model of family life, prioritizing being a homemaker and a primary caregiver and supporting their husbands’ role as the primary breadwinner.

From Salon ● Sep. 12, 2026

He suggested prioritizing outcome-focused multi-asset strategies, such as cash and inflation strategies.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 11, 2026

Some replies cited absolute bans from doctors or prioritizing their child’s health, while others said they drank the beverages with their physicians’ blessings.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026

Her brother talking about prioritizing his own interests over hers wasn’t that different from her prioritizing Mr. Griswold’s game over the cipher challenge.

From "Book Scavenger" by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman

Related Words

• compute
• register
• set up