prioritize
Americanverb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
verb
-
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
-
prioritizesimple
-
prioritizessimple
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have prioritizedperfect
-
has prioritizedperfect
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am prioritizingprogressive
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are prioritizingprogressive
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is prioritizingprogressive
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have been prioritizingperfect progressive
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has been prioritizingperfect progressive
Past
-
prioritizedsimple
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had prioritizedperfect
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was prioritizingprogressive
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were prioritizingprogressive
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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:
While some stock pickers prioritize emotion over reason, many remain rooted in reality.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 13, 2026
They’re exploring schools that prioritize life skills, call teachers “guides” or “coaches” and use AI-based tutors that tailor the curriculum to the child’s individual needs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 5, 2026
Warsh is expected to use the event to build support for his plans to reduce forward guidance and prioritize taming inflation.
From Barron's ● Jul. 1, 2026
A high-energy laser that cannot precisely track a target moving at speed, or that cannot prioritize among dozens of incoming threats simultaneously, is just an extremely expensive light source.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 29, 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 strategy can appear somewhat random because it prioritizes gathering information over directly pursuing the answer.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 19, 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 more conservative allocation, such as 40% stocks and 60% bonds, generally prioritizes capital preservation over growth.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 8, 2026
But in April the company said that facility is now on hold as it prioritizes other projects.
From Barron's ● Jun. 5, 2026
Best For Anyone who prioritizes speed and streaming within a limited data budget.
From Salon ● Jun. 2, 2026
“In the balance of trying to consider industry and economy, and also trying to consider the environment, the scales tilted way too far to the point where industry is prioritized over people,” Parker said.
From Salon ● Jul. 15, 2026
But in the past few decades, private pensions have all but disappeared, and many workers are not saving enough for retirement — either because they can’t afford to or because they haven’t prioritized it.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 7, 2026
“I loved how she prioritized family and getting married young—just going against the pressure of society around us,” McGrath said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 11, 2026
It was burdened by intense competition from other online retailers and a consumer base that prioritized cheap prices over environmental responsibility.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 19, 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
Chief Executive Ed Bastian said consumers are still prioritizing travel, even as economic pressures weigh on other pockets of consumer spending.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
The air carrier said higher fares aren’t scaring away customers, who are prioritizing travel spend.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
Taken together, Blanche’s actions over the past 12 months make abundantly clear that he’s prioritizing the president’s agenda.
From Slate ● Jul. 9, 2026
Although D-Wave’s latest quarterly revenue fell 81%, a spike in bookings indicates the company is prioritizing long-term backlog over immediate sales.
From Barron's ● Jun. 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
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.
