Prioritize

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "Prioritize" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when discussing the importance of arranging tasks or items in order of priority or significance. Example: "In order to meet the deadline, we need to prioritize our tasks effectively."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"President Obama should appoint someone to lead the Fed who has not accepted millions in payments from Wall Street, and who will prioritize an economy that works for the little guy above further enrichment for the big guy".

The Guardian - Business

He wants to know whether, in order to avoid default, the Treasury could prioritize the bills it pays after slamming into the debt ceiling.

The Guardian - Business

It is true that the Left tends to prioritize human welfare over the loaded concept of free trade, but The Economist itself claims the same moral interest when it touts such trade as the antidote to world poverty.

The Economist

According to Merriam-Webster's dictionary online, "concretize", "ironize" and others do exist in American English; but they would never be allowed on to the pages of The Economist, which frowns even on "prioritize" or, as we would spell it, "prioritise".

The Economist

Legislators and public health professionals require population statistics in order to prioritize funding for health programs, such as those aimed at obesity reduction or smoking cessation.

Encyclopedia Britannica

As a result, interested parties, such as national governments and conservation organizations, may use the information provided in the IUCN Red List to prioritize their own species-protection efforts.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Having decided what criteria to use, the individual must now decide how to combine or prioritize them.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The Standard also proposed U.S. military strategies that would prioritize attacking Ḥussein over eliminating al-Qaeda.

Encyclopedia Britannica

In 1999 Roberts founded Caspian Networks, which developed routers that worked not on individual packets but on the overall type of a message to prioritize it accordingly.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Established religions can prioritize otherworldly ends over life on earth, too, or identify a church leadership independent of political authorities.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The administration of U.S. President Ronald Reagan early on began to prioritize what came to be called the "War on Drugs," which combatted drug trafficking and aimed to end the crack cocaine epidemic destroying many lives.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use the term "prioritize" to clearly communicate the order of importance to your team members. For example, "We need to prioritize customer support tickets over internal documentation."

Common error

Avoid "prioritizing" everything, as this defeats the purpose of ranking tasks by importance. When everything is a priority, nothing truly is. Focus on identifying the truly critical items to ensure effective resource allocation.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "prioritize" is as a transitive verb. It signifies the act of arranging items or tasks in order of importance, as illustrated by Ludwig examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

38%

Encyclopedias

20%

Science

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

12%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "prioritize" is a grammatically sound and frequently used verb that signifies arranging tasks or items in order of importance. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability across various contexts, including news, encyclopedias, and scientific literature. To use "prioritize" effectively, ensure you identify the truly critical items and avoid over-prioritizing. Related phrases include "give priority to" and "focus on". Remember that while both "prioritize" and "prioritise" are correct, the former is preferred in American English, and the latter in British English.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Give priority to

Synonymous to "Prioritize", where it focuses on assigning importance.

Rank in order of importance

This alternative more explicitly describes the act of assigning a numerical or hierarchical rank based on importance.

Give precedence to

This phrase suggests a higher level of urgency or immediate attention compared to a general ordering.

Set priorities

This alternative focuses on the act of establishing a set of prioritized items rather than the process of prioritizing.

Emphasize

This phrase focuses on highlighting the importance of something, but not necessarily in relation to other things.

Focus on

This alternative suggests directing attention and resources towards a specific item, without necessarily ranking it against others.

Place emphasis on

Similar to emphasize, but with a slightly more formal tone and focus on allocation of importance.

Order

Highlights arranging items in a specific sequence.

Classify

Focuses on organizing items into groups.

Grade

Assigns a value or rating.

FAQs

How to use "Prioritize" in a sentence?

You can use "Prioritize" to indicate the order of importance. For example, "We need to prioritize these tasks to meet the deadline."

What can I say instead of "Prioritize"?

You can use alternatives like "give priority to", "focus on", or "emphasize" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "Prioritize" or "Prioritise"?

"Prioritize" is the preferred spelling in American English, while "Prioritise" is the preferred spelling in British English. Both are grammatically correct but context-dependent.

What's the difference between "Prioritize" and "Delegate"?

"Prioritize" means to rank tasks by importance, while "Delegate" means to assign a task to someone else. You "prioritize" tasks to decide what to do first, then may "delegate" some of those tasks to others.