prioritize

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

/ praɪˈɔr ɪˌtaɪz, -ˈɒr- /

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See synonyms for prioritize on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), pri·or·i·tized, pri·or·i·tiz·ing.

to arrange or do in order of priority: learning to prioritize our assignments.

to give a high priority to.

verb (used without object), pri·or·i·tized, pri·or·i·tiz·ing.

to organize or deal with something according to its priority.

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Also especially British, pri·or·i·tise .

Origin of prioritize

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

usage note for prioritize

See -ize.

OTHER WORDS FROM prioritize

pri·or·i·ti·za·tion, nounre·pri·or·i·ti·za·tion, nounre·pri·or·i·tize, verb (used with object), re·pri·or·i·tized, re·pri·or·i·tiz·ing.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use prioritize in a sentence

This model offers a concrete way to reduce serious harms and prioritize disadvantaged people on an international scale.
Who should get the Covid-19 vaccine first? Ethicists are fiercely debating how to vaccinate billions of people.|Sigal Samuel|November 20, 2020|Vox
Older essential workers between 40 and 59 should be prioritized first if the goal is to minimize deaths, the authors maintain.
Who should get a covid-19 vaccine first?|Niall Firth|November 20, 2020|MIT Technology Review
In addition to curbing the virus’s spread, women politicians also prioritize the pandemic’s social consequences, and women of color have shown that they are tuned in to the needs of their hard-hit communities.
The U.S. is too far behind the rest of the world when it comes to women in government|jakemeth|November 16, 2020|Fortune
An overwhelming 93% reported that they plan to take steps to make their supply chains more resilient—and half of them were willing to prioritize resilience over short-term profitability.
Why investing in supply chain resilience pays off|lbelanger225|November 16, 2020|Fortune

Take the studies that have found that, women in both parties tend to prioritize issues related to women, children and families once in office.
How A Record Number Of Republican Women Will — And Won’t — Change Congress|Meredith Conroy|November 16, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
Internet service providers will have the opportunity to offer paid prioritization.
Porn Fights For Your Right to Surf: Pornhub, YouPorn, and Redtube Lead Charge For Net Neutrality|Aurora Snow|September 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
At the end of the day, it all comes down to commitment and prioritization.
Iranian Americans, Take a Lesson|Trita Parsi|July 24, 2012|DAILY BEAST
But I think people appreciate the organization and prioritization of information.
A Q and A With Nicolle Wallace, Palin's Chaperone|Ana Marie Cox|October 28, 2008|DAILY BEAST

British Dictionary definitions for prioritize

prioritize

prioritise

/ (praɪˈɒrɪˌtaɪz) /

verb (tr)

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

to give priority to or establish as a priority

Derived forms of prioritize

prioritization or prioritisation, noun

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

prioritize

Origin of prioritize

usage note for prioritize

OTHER WORDS FROM prioritize

Words related to prioritize

How to use prioritize in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for prioritize

prioritise

Derived forms of prioritize