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)
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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:
Meanwhile, Target faced skepticism over its turnaround efforts, as consumers prioritize basic essentials over clothing and home decor.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 16, 2026
Another 15,000 were given to HSI’s cross-border financial crimes unit, which was told to prioritize them over money laundering and fraud cases, a former high-level HSI official said.
From Salon ● Aug. 15, 2026
The World Bank said Friday it was disbursing $200 million in emergency funds for the disaster response, as well as a mechanism to assess economic losses to help "prioritize aid and reconstruction efforts."
From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026
In 2023, representatives on the House Transportation Committee proposed a bill that would have allowed airlines to prioritize advertisement of the base fare.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
We decided to prioritize resentencing hearings in Louisiana for the “old-timers,” juvenile lifers who had been there for decades.
From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson
“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
"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
Secretary of State Shirley Weber and other officials have said California’s voting system prioritizes voter accessibility and security over speedy results.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 8, 2026
A DOJ spokeswoman said the agency’s settlement with Live Nation prioritized quick benefits to consumers over a yearslong legal battle that the department risked losing, and that the terms enable competition and lower prices.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026
Bejar is the first witness to take the stand and has argued that the company prioritized profits over safety by encouraging people to spend more and more time on Facebook and Instagram.
From Barron's ● Aug. 19, 2026
Employers rated job-specific abilities first, while educators ranked them last and prioritized broader “soft” skills.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 4, 2026
The next governor will take the helm after Gov. Gavin Newsom prioritized learning for children under 5 by expanding transitional kindergarten to all 4-year-olds and opening more subsidized child-care spaces.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 3, 2026
They were probably already working from a prioritized list of possibilities, entering them as fast as Sorrento could type.
From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline
With hiring managers prioritizing in-person work and AI able to tackle routine tasks that traditionally monopolized entry-level workers’ time, one could argue being agreeable is paramount.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 13, 2026
Wilson, whose last error occurred July 6, 2025, credits his dad with prioritizing defense.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026
Brazil's representative made a similar note, saying "the organization must play a constructive role, prioritizing the opening of channels for negotiation."
From Barron's ● Aug. 5, 2026
“I would much rather that retail companies do a lot more reuse” rather than prioritizing recycling textiles, he said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026
It works out contingencies and relationships and sorts through the mountain of information we get from the outside world, prioritizing it and putting flags on things that demand our immediate attention.
From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell
Definitions 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.
