give top priority to

USAGE SUMMARY

"give top priority to" is a correct and commonly used phrase in written English.
It means to consider something as the most important or urgent task or goal. Example: In order to meet the deadline, we need to give top priority to finishing the report first.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

25 human-written examples

In wanting to give top priority to helping the unemployed, Krugman's heart is clearly in the right place.

The New York Times - Books

Two years ago, when President Thein Sein inaugurated Myanmar's first civilian government in five decades, he announced he would give top priority to national unity.

The New York Times

Parliament has also voted to give top priority to a new press law that would prohibit closing a newspaper without a hearing and trying journalists without a jury.

The New York Times

Just before leaving office, the Clinton administration rejected one proposal and, in an extraordinary step, ordered that a new plan give top priority to conservation goals.

The New York Times

"We take outages very seriously," he said, "but we also always give top priority to residential and commercial customers before addressing streetlight outages that involve our equipment".

The New York Times

Competitors, advertisers and some consumer advocates had complained that Google manipulated the results of its Internet searches to give top priority to results that featured companies in which it held an interest, while punishing those that were a competitive threat.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

33 human-written examples

All 41 Republicans present in the Senate voted to block its passage while giving top priority to protecting tax cuts for the superrich.

The New York Times

They expect to reach more than 13m voters in union households, concentrating on a list of 24 battleground states and giving top priority to Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan and Minnesota.

The Economist

BEIJING — President Hu Jintao of China praised North Korea and its ailing leader, Kim Jong-il, for giving "top priority to improving people's lives," according to a report on Thursday night by Xinhua, the state news agency.

The New York Times

Many translators have tried, in one way or another, to make the Bible do in English what it does in Hebrew, but few have given top priority to the sound and feel of the original language.

The New Yorker

The message is that patient, family and community involvement may improve the effectiveness of existing programmes as well as extending their reach by giving top priority to the patient experience, an aspect of care too often overlooked.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "give top priority to", ensure that the context clearly indicates who is assigning the priority and why. This provides clarity and strengthens the message.

Common error

Avoid using "give top priority to" repeatedly in close succession. Vary your language by using synonyms like "emphasize the importance of" or "focus primarily on" to maintain reader engagement and avoid sounding monotonous.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "give top priority to" functions as a verb phrase, typically used to indicate that someone or something should be regarded as the most important concern. As Ludwig AI confirms, this usage is standard in written English.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

44%

Science

32%

Formal & Business

24%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "give top priority to" is a common verb phrase used to indicate that something should be treated as the most important matter. Ludwig AI confirms its standard usage. It appears frequently in news articles, scientific publications, and business documents. When using this phrase, clarity and context are crucial. Avoid overuse and vary language with alternatives like "prioritize", "emphasize the importance of", or "place emphasis on".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

prioritize

Single word alternative. Simplifies the phrasing by using a direct verb.

emphasize the importance of

Focuses on highlighting the significance of something.

place emphasis on

Highlights where focus and resources are directed.

accord paramount importance to

Uses more formal language to express the high level of importance.

treat as most important

Directly states the level of importance assigned.

focus primarily on

Highlights the concentration of effort on a specific item.

concentrate efforts on

Indicates where efforts and resources are mainly directed.

highlight as crucial

Emphasizes the critical nature of something.

deem essential

Highlights a fundamental necessity.

value most highly

Emphasizes the high value placed on something.

FAQs

How can I use "give top priority to" in a sentence?

You can use "give top priority to" when you want to emphasize that something should be treated as the most important thing. For example, "The government should "give top priority to" education reform."

What are some alternatives to "give top priority to"?

Alternatives include "prioritize", "emphasize the importance of", or "place emphasis on". The best choice depends on the specific context and desired level of formality.

Is it better to say "give top priority to" or "prioritize"?

Both "give top priority to" and "prioritize" are correct. "Give top priority to" is more descriptive, while "prioritize" is more concise. Use whichever fits best with the tone and style of your writing.

What does it mean to "give top priority to" something?

To "give top priority to" something means to treat it as the most important task or goal, allocating the most resources and attention to it before anything else.