prioritize

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb

To value, do, or choose something first, or before other things.
To arrange or list a group of things in order of priority or importance.
To rank something as having high priority.

Pronunciation

/pɹaɪˈɒɹ.ə.taɪz/ [pɹaɪˈɒɹ.taɪz] LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-prioritize.wav /pɹaɪˈoɹ.ə.taɪz/ [pɹaɪˈoɹ.taɪz] /pɹɑeˈɔɹ.ə.tɑez/ [pɹɑe̯ˈɔ̟ɹətɑe̯z]

Word forms

prioritize prioritizes prioritizing prioritized prioritise

Etymology

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.

Antonyms

marginalize disfocus

Related words

prioritization

Derived words

deprioritize misprioritize overprioritize prioritizable prioritizer reprioritize reprioritise subprioritize underprioritize

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