Establish priorities

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "Establish priorities" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when discussing the importance of determining what tasks or goals should be addressed first in a given context. Example: "In order to manage our time effectively, we need to establish priorities for the upcoming project."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Establish priorities.

Huffington Post

It is to establish priorities.

The New York Times - Magazine

Leaders are better able to establish priorities, give guidance to international organizations, and reach collective decisions.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Under our constitutional system, the president has pre-eminent power to establish priorities in foreign affairs -- reinforced in the case of Iraq by Congressional action.

The New York Times

The first step for Bechtel will be to establish priorities, with the agency's guidance, for the work that needs to be done, Mr. Kidder said.

The New York Times

Seniors with a clearer sense of why they are going to college develop a stronger slate of investigative questions, establish priorities and simply craft better admissions applications.

The New York Times

The city was granted permission by the State Supreme Court to establish priorities, essential services having first claim to the money; creditors were second, contrary to state law.

The New Yorker

"We have reached out to all of the clients" to establish priorities for getting people out of Haiti, Mr. Deroose said.

The New York Times

He calls his energy program "all of the above," a name that purports to turn a reluctance to establish priorities into a virtue.

The New Yorker

This panel will meet in Copenhagen in May to establish priorities for action on ten issues.In this section Which is the victim?

The Economist

Obama's executive orders establish priorities for immigration enforcement, and they are intended to give some comfort and resolution to roughly four million of the twelve million undocumented people in the country.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "Establish priorities", consider the audience and context. In formal settings, it conveys a sense of strategic decision-making, while in informal contexts, it can simply mean organizing tasks efficiently.

Common error

Avoid using "Establish priorities" when you actually mean setting goals. Priorities are about ranking tasks or goals, while goals are the desired outcomes themselves. Make sure that you "set goals" first, then establish their relative importance.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "Establish priorities" functions primarily as an imperative verb phrase, often used to direct or advise someone to determine the relative importance of tasks or goals. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability in English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

37%

Science

35%

Formal & Business

12%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

1%

Social Media

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "Establish priorities" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression, as confirmed by Ludwig AI, that encourages the ranking of tasks or goals based on their importance. It is versatile, fitting in contexts from News & Media to Science and Formal & Business settings. While alternatives like "set priorities" or "define priorities" exist, it's crucial not to confuse prioritizing with simply setting goals. By understanding its function and purpose, writers can effectively use "Establish priorities" to guide decision-making and promote efficiency.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Set priorities

Uses a more common verb, "set", but retains the core meaning of determining importance.

Define priorities

Emphasizes clearly outlining what is most important.

Determine priorities

Focuses on the process of deciding what should be addressed first.

Prioritize tasks

More specific, focusing on prioritizing tasks rather than broader goals.

Rank tasks

Implies creating an ordered list based on importance.

Identify priorities

Highlights the process of recognizing what is most important.

Order tasks by importance

Specifies the method of prioritization based on the level of importance.

Decide on priorities

Emphasizes the decision-making aspect of prioritizing.

Create a priority list

Highlights the creation of a formal listing of priorities.

Triage tasks

Uses a medical metaphor to imply quickly assessing and addressing the most critical items.

FAQs

How to use "Establish priorities" in a sentence?

You can use "Establish priorities" to indicate the act of determining the order of importance of tasks or goals, like "Before starting the project, we need to "define objectives" and then establish priorities".

What can I say instead of "Establish priorities"?

You can use alternatives like "set priorities", "determine priorities", or "prioritize tasks" depending on the specific context.

Which is correct, "Establish priorities" or "Establishing priorities"?

"Establish priorities" is an imperative phrase often used as a directive or suggestion. "Establishing priorities" is a gerund phrase that functions as a noun, describing the act of prioritizing.

What's the difference between "Establish priorities" and "Manage priorities"?

"Establish priorities" refers to the initial act of defining what's important, while "manage priorities" refers to the ongoing process of dealing with and adjusting those priorities as circumstances change.