Prioritize Meaning
/pɹaɪˈɒɹ.ə.taɪz/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
verbTo value, do, or choose something first, or before other things.
verbTo arrange or list a group of things in order of priority or importance.
Sentence Examples
When your resources are limited, you have to prioritize.
I have to prioritize.
CEFR Practice Quiz
To finish the project on time, you must ____ your most important tasks first.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The manager asked the team to ____ the most urgent tasks before tackling the longer-term projects.
Word Origin & History
From priority + -ize. First attested in 1967 as U.S. government jargon, becoming more widespread through the 1970s and ’80s, but still denounced as officialese by purists into the 1990s.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Boeing's article stressed prioritizing roll control during recovery from nose-down bank upsets unless the airplane was in a stall condition; if the airplane was stalled, Boeing recommended recovering from the stall before recovering from the upset. The article described the nose-down upset recovery technique as follows: "Reduce angle of attack. This unloads the wing, allows the airplane to accelerate, which reduces rudder deflection and improves lateral control ability. […]""
— 1999 March 24, National Transportation Safety Board, “1.18.10.2.3 1997 Through 1998—Information and Changes Disseminated by Boeing”, in Aircraft Accident Report: Uncontrolled Descent and Collision with Terrain, USAir Flight 427, Boeing 737-300, N513AU, Near Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, September 8, 1994, archived from the original on 04 Jun 2022, pages 205–206:
"In 2005 Houston Methodist Hospital (HMH) established a Sepsis Care Management Performance Improvement (CMPI) committee and prioritized sepsis detection and management in its ICUs, using the approaches of the Surviving Sepsis Campaign."
— 2015 November 26, Stephen L Jones, Carol M Ashton, Lisa Kiehne, Elizabeth Gigliotti, Charyl Bell-Gordon, Maureen Disbot, Faisal Masud, Beverly A Shirkey, Nelda P. Wray, “Reductions in sepsis mortality and costs after design and implementation of a nurse-based early recognition and response program”, in The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety, volume 41, number 11:
"Loretta's already designing the next smelter. She has some improvements in mind. The new one will prioritize silicon extraction and—"
— 2017, Andy Weir, chapter 17, in Artemis, pages 295-6:
"Skinimalism prioritizes skin health and lets your natural beauty shine through."
— 2022 February 1, Lourdes Avila Uribe, “Everything You Need To Know About 'Skinimalism', The Latest Beauty Trend”, in HuffPost:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
To finish the project on time, you must ____ your most important tasks first.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The manager asked the team to ____ the most urgent tasks before tackling the longer-term projects.