prioritize
Americanverb (used with object)
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prioritizes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
prioritized,
past participle, past
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prioritizing
present participle
verb (used without object)
-
prioritizes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
prioritized,
past participle, past
-
prioritizing
present participle
verb
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to arrange (items to be attended to) in order of their relative importance
-
to give priority to or establish as a priority
Spelling
See -ize.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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prioritizesimple
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prioritizessimple
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have prioritizedperfect
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has prioritizedperfect
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am prioritizingprogressive
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are prioritizingprogressive
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is prioritizingprogressive
-
have been prioritizingperfect progressive
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has been prioritizingperfect progressive
Past
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prioritizedsimple
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had prioritizedperfect
-
was prioritizingprogressive
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were prioritizingprogressive
-
had been prioritizingperfect progressive
Future
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."
Vocabulary lists containing prioritize
President Obama's Farewell Address
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Academic Vocabulary Toolkit 1, Words 71-80
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This Week in Words: January 20 - 26, 2018
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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.
See Examples For:
But the Treasury noted Tuesday that the bank "failed to prioritize" compliance despite agreeing to the 2024 order.
From Barron's ● Oct. 13, 2026
Chinese automakers may opt to prioritize higher-priced models, which could lead to stiffer competition with premium German brands, they add.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 12, 2026
Schwartz said Wednesday that parents should prioritize receiving measles vaccines for their children amid current U.S. outbreaks, saying the shot is “absolutely safe, absolutely effective.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026
Postpartum depression, limited partner support, housing problems, domestic violence, and other unmet social or safety needs can make it harder for new mothers to prioritize their own health, Yee said.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 6, 2026
“Let’s prioritize, shall we? To start, you seem to be in a spot of trouble.”
From "Half Upon a Time" by James Riley
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
"But this work demonstrates that recycling can work when society prioritizes sustainability."
From Science Daily ● Jun. 28, 2026
“Apple prioritizes protecting gross profit dollar growth—rather than gross margins—on iPhones to limit demand elasticity on its core hardware product while also supporting installed base expansion,” he said.
From Barron's ● Jun. 26, 2026
If anything, the movie could have used more of her, although it’s better overall that “Leviticus” prioritizes Naim and Ryan as queer protagonists caught in a chilling loop of escape and reunion.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 19, 2026
A more conservative allocation, such as 40% stocks and 60% bonds, generally prioritizes capital preservation over growth.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 8, 2026
Newsom said in his veto message Wednesday that his administration has worked to address wrongs committed against tribes and has prioritized respectful “government-to-government dialogue.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
Google said it has prioritized youth protections, particularly around emotional dependence and reinforcement of false beliefs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026
Scrolls found to contain lead could then be prioritized for CT scanning, potentially allowing many more texts to be recovered and building on the work of Seales and his collaborators.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 26, 2026
Both Ukraine and Russia have increasingly prioritized the use and production of drones since the war began in February 2022.
From Salon ● Sep. 24, 2026
From the beginning, there was a huge difference in the way Parks Canada conducted its search from all the previous hunts for the two fabled ships: finally, they prioritized seeking information using oral histories.
From "Shipwrecked!" by Martin W. Sandler
Overseeing an endowment of about $150.3 million, Ryan is prioritizing annual support for free admission and programming while raising endowment funds for staff positions.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 12, 2026
"I believe we were fired for prioritizing safety over the near-term interests of OpenAI as a corporation," Balesni wrote on X.
From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026
“Are you making sure you’re prioritizing having breakfast in the morning? Or are you walking out the door with a coffee?”
From Slate ● Oct. 9, 2026
The used-car retailer, which is currently prioritizing sales volumes over gross margins, says it took steps to strengthen its price competitiveness during the recent quarter.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026
Human and animal foragers are constantly prioritizing and making effort-allocation decisions, even if only unconsciously.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
