prewar

American

[pree-wawr] / ˈpriˈwɔr /

adjective

before the war.

prewar prices.

prewar British

/ ˈpriːˌwɔː, ˌpriːˈwɔː /

adjective

of or occurring in the period before a war, esp before World War I or II

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of prewar

First recorded in 1905–10; pre- + war ¹

Vocabulary lists containing prewar

"The Diary of a Young Girl," Vocabulary from the diary

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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.

But he does see a pathway for oil flows out of the Persian Gulf to return to prewar levels in the next few months.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 22, 2026

“I don’t think it will take eight months, but there’s probably a two-month minimum for supply to get back to prewar levels,” he said.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 22, 2026

The S&P 500 at one point fell 8% from its prewar level, reflecting broad anxiety about the uncertainty created by the conflict and its potential negative impact on global economic growth.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 20, 2026

But the recovery back to prewar levels may just be the start.

From Barron's • Apr. 20, 2026

The elevator was prewar, with gilded, curving bars like a birdcage.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023