What's a priority
Priority Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster
pri·or·i·ty prī-ˈȯr-ə-tē
-ˈär-
1
a(1)
: the quality or state of being prior
(2)
: precedence in date or position of publication
—used of taxa
b(1)
: superiority in rank, position, or privilege
(2)
: legal precedence in exercise of rights over the same subject matter
2
: a preferential rating
especially : one that allocates rights to goods and services usually in limited supply
that project has top priority
3
: something given or meriting attention before competing alternatives
Synonyms
- precedence
- right-of-way
See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus
Example Sentences
Reorganizing the sales force will be a top priority for the new president. Getting the work done on time is a priority for me. She decided to go to the party instead of studying? Where are her priorities? I know you want to buy a new stereo, but right now, saving for college has to take priority.
Recent Examples on the Web For him, the music was always – and will always be – the priority. —J'na Jefferson, Billboard, 12 Apr. 2023 In congressional hearings and other public speeches, Fed Chair Jerome H.
Powell routinely says that the priority isn’t for the United States to be first, or even at the top of the pack, among countries experimenting with the idea. —Rachel Siegel, Washington Post, 11 Apr. 2023 With fewer people commuting, cars were no longer the priority. —Diti Kohli, BostonGlobe.com, 11 Apr. 2023 Given the state of the roster, finding quality football players should be the priority. —Stephanie Stradley, Chron, 10 Apr. 2023 Later in the morning, McGruder explained why getting the hug from Mullen was a priority for her. —Scott Talley, Freep.com, 9 Apr. 2023 Staying connected with the community is a priority for Peaslee, who hosts community events such as blood drives at both locations.
—Roxana Becerril, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Apr. 2023 Education Both Republicans and Democrats in the Mobile County delegation said that education was a priority for their districts. —Margaret Kates | [email protected], al, 8 Apr. 2023 Now the priority is winning control of the industry’s next big thing. —Karen Weise, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2023 See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'priority.
' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)
Time Traveler
The first known use of priority was in the 14th century
See more words from the same century
Dictionary Entries Near
priorityprioritize
priority
prior restraint
See More Nearby Entries
Cite this Entry
Style
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“Priority.” Merriam-Webster.
com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/priority. Accessed 17 Apr. 2023.
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Kids Definition
priority
noun
pri·or·i·ty prī-ˈȯr-ət-ē
-ˈär-
1
: the quality or state of coming before another in time or importance
2
: a condition of being given attention before others
this project has top priority
Legal Definition
priority
1 of 2 noun
pri·or·i·ty prī-ˈȯr-ə-tē
: precedence in exercise of rights in the same subject matter
secured interests have priority over unsecured ones
priority
2 of 2 adjective
1
: having precedence over another in the exercise of rights in the same subject matter
a priority creditor
a priority claim
2
: of or relating to priority
a priority contest
More from Merriam-Webster on
priorityNglish: Translation of priority for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of priority for Arabic Speakers
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Priority Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.
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[ prahy-awr-i-tee, -or- ]
/ praɪˈɔr ɪ ti, -ˈɒr- /
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See synonyms for: priority / priorities on Thesaurus.com
This shows grade level based on the word's complexity.
noun, plural pri·or·i·ties for 2-4.
the state or quality of being earlier in time, occurrence, etc.
the right to precede others in order, rank, privilege, etc.; precedence.
the right to take precedence in obtaining certain supplies, services, facilities, etc., especially during a shortage.
something given special attention.
adjective
highest or higher in importance, rank, privilege, etc.
: a priority task.
QUIZ
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Origin of priority
1350–1400; Middle English <Middle French priorite<Medieval Latin priōritās.See prior1, -ity
OTHER WORDS FROM priority
non·pri·or·i·ty, adjectiveWords nearby priority
prion, prior, priorate, prioress, prioritize, priority, priority mail, prior lien, prior probability, prior restraint, priory
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Words related to priority
arrangement, preference, antecedence, lead, order, precedence, preeminence, prerogative, rank, seniority, superiority, supremacy, transcendence, previousness, right of way
How to use priority in a sentence
Fixing systemic inequities in voting power should be a high priority for Democrats.
America needs a democratic revolution|Matthew Yglesias|September 17, 2020|Vox
The National Academy of Medicine is working on priorities for the first phase.
U.S. outlines sweeping plan to provide free COVID-19 vaccines|Rachel Schallom|September 16, 2020|Fortune
That process—dating back to the earliest days of the company—stands today as a very top priority.
Why McDonald’s sets the standard for equitable business models|jakemeth|September 16, 2020|Fortune
For years, San Diego’s biggest priority when it comes to water has been securing its own drought-proof source of it.
Morning Report: San Diego Is Ignoring an Untapped Water Source|Voice of San Diego|September 15, 2020|Voice of San Diego
Another senator backed up the idea that Atkins didn’t ask other lawmakers to make her bill a priority.
Morning Report: Downtown Jail Outbreak Goes From Bad to Worse|Voice of San Diego|September 11, 2020|Voice of San Diego
In fact, in a recent study of their users internationally, it was the lowest priority for most.
Grindr’s Trans Dating Problem|David Levesley|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Current and former intelligence officials have said North Korea has long been a priority target for American spies.
Was Sony Hit With a Second Hack?|Shane Harris|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
It's not necessarily a deal-breaker, but it is kind of a top priority.
My Week on Jewish Tinder|Emily Shire|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST
If we want that to change, then all of us have to encourage our legislators to make funding community policing a priority.
How to Solve the Policing Crisis|Keli Goff|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST
“The tribe is really made of people who put travel as a priority in their entire lifestyle,” says Evita.
‘We Out Here’: Inside the New Black Travel Movement|Charlise Ferguson|January 4, 2015|DAILY BEAST
As Donovan described and figured this insect many years before Dr. Leach, his name has the right of priority.
Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia] [Volume 2 of 2]|Phillip Parker King
I gladly yield to M. Papus the priority in time, which was possible to a well-informed gentleman, at the centre of the conspiracy.
Devil-Worship in France|Arthur Edward Waite
Of all the foolish things that scientific men quarrel about, one of the most foolish is the question of priority of discovery.
The Treatment of Hay Fever|George Frederick Laidlaw
Granted, therefore, that the question of form must take priority, how can it be best attained?
Loss of the Steamship 'Titanic'|British Government
His merits in this as in other respects, his various claims to priority of invention, are only too often overlooked.
Frederick Chopin as a Man and Musician|Frederick Niecks
British Dictionary definitions for priority
priority
/ (praɪˈɒrɪtɪ) /
noun plural -ties
the condition of being prior; antecedence; precedence
the right of precedence over others
something given specified attentionmy first priority
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
5 main priorities in everyone’s life…
Kubareva (formerly Sharganova) Svetlana Vladimirovna
Psychotherapist, CBT-therapist, EMDR-therapist, DBT-therapist
»... This is a concept that determines the importance, primacy. So, try to prioritize the following 5 categories: your work, yourself, your children, your partner (beloved man or woman) and your loved ones (relatives, friends).
For convenience, it is advisable to present these categories in the form of a table and, opposite each criterion, indicate a number from 1 to 5 in order of priority: (Wife) ____________ place
Parents, friends ______ place
If you do not have children today, this does not mean that you do not give them some place in your life. The same is true if you are single, because hypothetically you still imagine what place a loved one will take in your life when he appears.
You must answer sincerely and honestly.
Now let's see what it actually looks like.
In the first place: Regardless of gender, you must always be yourself (both men and women). If a person is in order, then the other person next to him will be fine. Otherwise, it is the psychology of the victim to put someone above himself. As a rule, it manifests itself as “dependence” in relationships and this condition is more typical for women.
In second place: A woman must have a beloved man or husband. As soon as someone else gets between a woman and a man, get ready for the fact that problems may immediately appear. If you, dear ladies, really want intimacy and warm relations, then there should not be anyone between you and a man, not even children! If your husband puts between you, for example, his mother, then it is necessary to correctly and patiently, with love, explain to him that this is not constructive for your relationship.
A man should have a job in second place.
Yes, just like that and nothing else. A woman or children should not be more important for a man than work. And if a woman lacks his attention, then you need to take care of yourself and make your life more interesting, respectively, she will immediately become interesting to her man. In the nature of a man, the desire to achieve and obtain results. And in fact, he tries for his family, so that the family does not need anything and is proud of him. Being proud of a man is very important!
In third place: A man, of course, has a beloved woman. Not his mother, not his children from his first marriage. If this place is occupied by someone else, then it is necessary to gently and patiently explain that there can be only one adult next to the man. Otherwise, harmonious relations will not work.
The woman has children in third place. If a woman has the right priorities and children are not a priority value compared to a man, then children in such a harmonious atmosphere will be easy and comfortable.
In fourth place: And here, the man's children occupy an honorable fourth place. And children from a previous marriage, too. Very often, men do not divide children at all into their own and not their own. They are all his.
The woman's relatives are in fourth place. This is, first of all, the parents and parents of the husband, too. An important duty of a woman is to build good and respectful relations with her husband's parents, as well as, if possible, smooth out all conflicts.
Fifth place: The man has friends and relatives. If friends become paramount, look for problems and problems in your relationship. Because the duty of a woman in relation to her man is to become his closest friend.
The woman has a job in fifth place. Ideally, a woman should go to work to rest, since her biggest workload and main job is in the family. And if there is a man next to her who takes care of her, then the work most likely takes on the form of a hobby.
If the work is necessary to replenish the family budget, then the woman does not work well in the family and does not inspire her man enough to achieve so that he can take good care of her.
Priority - what is it
Updated July 24, 2021 Views: 174 541 Author: Dmitry PetrovHello, dear readers of the KtoNaNovenkogo.ru blog. Today I want to talk about the rather diverse word “priority”, which is used in jurisprudence, science, traffic rules and dozens of other life situations.
What is it, what is the interpretation of the term in various fields and examples of its correct use in everyday life. Actually, this will be discussed in the next ten paragraphs.
What is priority in everyday life
Priority is a word used to denote importance, dominance. It characterizes the events that should occur first in time, become the most significant. It is also a pre-emptive right vested in citizens or companies by law or custom.
Wikipedia gives the definition in an even more generalized form:
The concept comes from the word “prior”, which is translated from Latin into Russian as "first", "main" . In everyday life, it is used to rank values, events in order of importance. For example, its use is appropriate in the following statements:
- The ability to correctly prioritize is the key to success in business.
- Her career is her priority, she has no time or energy left for family life.
- Quality education and decent work are my priorities.
There are the following synonyms for this word:
- senior;
- superior;
- dominant;
- main;
- most important;
- the most significant.
Priorities set by a person in everyday life depend on his worldview (what is it?), value system. To arrange them correctly , you need to decide on your own goals and desires.
There is an excellent animated film about how we often do it wrong, pushing what is really important to the second, third and even fourth plan (here the procrastination sitting in many of us plays an important role):
In psychology, there is a concept " law of priorities ". His definition says that:
at a particular moment in time you need to do one thing, then it will lead to success. Other thoughts and intentions fade into the background so that a person can focus on the occupation that is here and now the main one.
The concept of "priority" in jurisprudence
This word is used by lawyers in three cases:
- Insolvency (bankruptcy).
In this case, the priority is the order of payments to creditors after the debtor is declared financially insolvent.
Citizens and companies are divided into queues in the manner determined by Art. 134 of Federal Law No. 127, in force since 2002. For example, preference is given to employees of the organization who are the first to receive a salary that is not transferred on time. - Priority of the law (what is it?).
This is a hierarchy, ranking of normative documents in force on the territory of the country, in importance . In Russia, the Constitution has the highest power, federal laws are on the lower level: they cannot contradict it. This is followed by acts issued by the executive authorities, the leadership of the regions and municipalities. - Patent rights.
Priority is the exclusive right to use any intellectual value (scientific development, new technology, industrial design). According to Art. 1381 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation, it arises for a citizen or firm from the moment of filing an application with the patent regulation authorities and lasts an unlimited period.
What does it mean in science
Here this term means superiority in the field of scientific achievements . It belongs to the one who made a discovery, an invention, a useful research. For example, the use of the term is possible in the following situations:
- The priority in the study of the Arctic belonged to the USSR.
- In Soviet times, priority in scientific development was given to the military-technical complex.
- Ivanov has developed a way to increase the efficiency of the company's production, he has priority.
According to the law, priority is given to the scientist who first announced his invention: published information about it in the press or filed documents for a patent.
Priorities in the rules of the road
This concept is also used in the rules of the road.
These are signs that determine the order of passage of vehicles.
