prioritize
Americanverb (used with object)
-
prioritizes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
prioritized,
past participle, past
-
prioritizing
present participle
verb (used without object)
-
prioritizes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
prioritized,
past participle, past
-
prioritizing
present participle
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
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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
-
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:
"Across several kinds of brain cells, this paired view revealed a consistent signature of 3D genome reorganization in Alzheimer's disease and helped us prioritize regulatory regions for future mechanistic and therapeutic investigation."
From Science Daily ● Sep. 13, 2026
As people drink less and younger generations prioritize fitness and health, bottomless mimosas and carb-heavy menus are out.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 12, 2026
Coverage should not prioritize "clicks, engagement, or sensationalism," the spokesperson said.
From Barron's ● Aug. 31, 2026
If the Angels — whether under current owner Arte Moreno or a future owner — wish to develop the 150-acre Angel Stadium property, state law would prioritize affordable housing within the site.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 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
“Their skin care prioritizes overall health, if that makes sense,” Sarah Draves, 27, said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 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
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
But my job, what I prioritized, is keeping it light.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 5, 2026
"I believe that shared safety standards and international coordination on further AI development need to be prioritized now," OpenIA's Pachocki said on Thursday.
From Barron's ● Sep. 3, 2026
“They have prioritized saving and finding a stable career that doesn’t require a lot of student-loan debt.”
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 1, 2026
Since becoming mayor in January, Mamdani has widened bike lanes, announced plans for new bike boulevards and prioritized improving pedestrian walkways.
From Salon ● Aug. 27, 2026
For the first time at Duke, I prioritized my personal happiness.
From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad
In a culture where people are drinking less, and younger generations are prioritizing fitness and health, bottomless mimosas and carb-heavy menus don’t have the appeal they once did.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 12, 2026
Here’s the short version: Tradwives promote a traditional model of family life, prioritizing being a homemaker and a primary caregiver and supporting their husbands’ role as the primary breadwinner.
From Salon ● Sep. 12, 2026
As a young adult, White is prioritizing a different lifestyle.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 2, 2026
Some replies cited absolute bans from doctors or prioritizing their child’s health, while others said they drank the beverages with their physicians’ blessings.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 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.
