prioritize

[ prahy-awr-i-tahyz, -or- ]

/ praɪˈɔr ɪˌtaɪz, -ˈɒr- /

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See synonyms for prioritize on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), pri·or·i·tized, pri·or·i·tiz·ing.

to arrange or do in order of priority: learning to prioritize our assignments.

to give a high priority to.

verb (used without object), pri·or·i·tized, pri·or·i·tiz·ing.

to organize or deal with something according to its priority.

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Also especially British, pri·or·i·tise .

Origin of prioritize

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

usage note for prioritize

See -ize.

OTHER WORDS FROM prioritize

pri·or·i·ti·za·tion, nounre·pri·or·i·ti·za·tion, nounre·pri·or·i·tize, verb (used with object), re·pri·or·i·tized, re·pri·or·i·tiz·ing.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use prioritize in a sentence

He noted that many surveys conducted around the world suggest that, all things being equal, the public prioritizes youth over older adults in the distribution of health resources.
Who should get the Covid-19 vaccine first? Ethicists are fiercely debating how to vaccinate billions of people.|Sigal Samuel|November 20, 2020|Vox
First, research shows that congresswomen prioritize women’s policy interests and congresswomen of color play a large role in keeping women’s interests on the agenda.
The U.S. is too far behind the rest of the world when it comes to women in government|jakemeth|November 16, 2020|Fortune
A system that prioritizes top-notch healthcare for a small number of people rather than prevention and quality care for everyone will never perform well in a public health crisis.
Why We Need a Collective Vision to Design the Future of Health|Abner Mason|November 11, 2020|Singularity Hub
During a time when so much is at stake, we need to prioritize policies that support our caregivers.
It’s time to prioritize caregiving, America|Andrew Nusca|November 11, 2020|Fortune

Nevertheless, nearly 40 percent of voters said that they would prioritize the economy over limiting the spread of the disease.
The US hit 120,000 new COVID cases on Thursday, breaking records for the second day in a row|Sara Kiley Watson|November 6, 2020|Popular-Science
If any of these got prioritized and funded to the extent of amyloid, we might be a lot closer to getting a drug than we are now.
Twenty Years of Alzheimer’s Research May Have Focused on the Wrong Protein|Elizabeth Lopatto|April 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In the immediate aftermath of the tragedy, the world prioritized relief and threw money at the suffering.
The Aid Industry Failed Haiti After Its 2010 Quake|Elise Jordan|February 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Second, he prioritized procuring equipment that would help minimize the threat of roadside bombs.
The Book America Needs to Read Right Now|John Kael Weston|January 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The irony is that he always was a politician who kept the separation of church and state clearly prioritized in his family life.
Mark Sanford on Run for Congress, a Second Chance at Politics|John Avlon|January 17, 2013|DAILY BEAST
He prioritized spiritual values and humanistic principles above market forces and hedonistic impulses.
David Foster Wallace, Traditionalist? Considering ‘Both Flesh and Not: Essays’|David Masciotra|November 2, 2012|DAILY BEAST

British Dictionary definitions for prioritize

prioritize

prioritise

/ (praɪˈɒrɪˌtaɪz) /

verb (tr)

to arrange (items to be attended to) in order of their relative importance

to give priority to or establish as a priority

Derived forms of prioritize

prioritization or prioritisation, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

prioritize

Origin of prioritize

usage note for prioritize

OTHER WORDS FROM prioritize

Words related to prioritize

How to use prioritize in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for prioritize

prioritise

Derived forms of prioritize