prioritize

American  

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

especially British, prioritise

verb (used with object)

prioritized, prioritizing

1. to arrange or do in order of priority.

   learning to prioritize our assignments.

2. to give a high priority to.

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verb (used without object)

prioritized, prioritizing

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

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Spelling

See -ize.

Other Word Forms

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

Etymology

Origin of prioritize

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

Example Sentences

They help forecast demand, optimize planting, prioritize shipments, and manage inventory.

From Science Daily • Apr. 5, 2026

Research and polling suggests Latino voters prioritize cost-of-living issues — such as housing, wages and inflation — over immigration, a topic often emphasized in national messaging.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 29, 2026

Users who prioritize simplicity, affordability and strong performance may find Surfshark a better fit.

From Salon • Mar. 27, 2026

While OpenAI has leaned into military partnerships, Anthropic markets itself on its ethics, and even published a “constitution” that instructs Claude to prioritize safety, ethics and helpfulness.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 25, 2026

The decision to prioritize a victory in space over problems on Earth was the most widespread criticism against the space program.

From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly

Related Words

• compute
• register
• set up