lower priority than

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "lower priority than" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to compare the importance or urgency of one task or item in relation to another. Example: "Completing the report is of lower priority than addressing the urgent client issue."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Arresting Anderson was a lower priority than protecting her identity as her source, Cocking said.

The Guardian

Do staff and patients consider them a lower priority than other clinic amenities?

Stanford University

OSHA also rates health hazards as a lower priority than safety threats.

The New York Times

We don't do it, because we give safety a lower priority than our desire to spend less time driving.

The Guardian - Opinion

The keyboard, always a lower priority than the more important subsystems, was not completed due to timing constraints.

Cornell University

Questions about democracy, freedoms and human rights in the kingdom clearly have a lower priority than security issues.

The Guardian

The holder of that second loan — which has lower priority than the holder of the first — gets nothing.

The New York Times

"In China, shareholder profit can be a lower priority than employment, or the competitive dynamics between provinces and cities".

The New York Times

He gave his own stellar career (digital-music entrepreneur, Yahoo executive) lower priority than his wife's even more stellar one.

The Economist

"Furthermore, patients and their clinicians may view genetic testing as a lower priority than tumor biology and pathology testing which most directly inform the treatment options," said Katz.

Stanford University

"In developing countries, the relief of pain and suffering is given much lower priority than other, more urgent, health and social problems," it says.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "lower priority than" to clearly indicate a hierarchy of importance between tasks or items, ensuring the reader understands which should be addressed first.

Common error

Avoid using "lower priority than" when the items being compared are actually of equal importance; use phrasing that reflects their equivalent status to prevent confusion.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "lower priority than" functions as a comparative, indicating that one thing is less important or urgent than another. It establishes a hierarchy, as confirmed by Ludwig's analysis of numerous real-world examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

54%

Academia

20%

Science

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

6%

Wiki

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "lower priority than" is a common and grammatically sound construction used to compare the relative importance or urgency of two or more things. As Ludwig confirms, it appears most frequently in News & Media, Academia, and Science contexts. While the phrase is generally neutral in register, it's important to use it judiciously, ensuring a clear understanding of the relative importance you're trying to convey. Alternatives such as "less important than" or "secondary to" can provide nuanced variations in meaning, but "lower priority than" provides a clear and effective way to convey hierarchical importance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

less important than

Direct synonym focusing on the importance aspect.

of lesser importance than

A more formal way to express reduced significance.

secondary to

Emphasizes that something is of second-level importance.

not as crucial as

Emphasizes the critical nature of the other item.

less urgent than

Focuses on the time sensitivity aspect.

not as pressing as

Similar to less urgent, but with a sense of immediacy.

subordinate to

Highlights a hierarchical relationship of importance.

outweighed by

Focuses on the relative weight or significance.

takes a backseat to

Idiomatic expression indicating reduced precedence.

deferred to

Highlights that something is postponed in favor of something else.

FAQs

How can I use "lower priority than" in a sentence?

You can use "lower priority than" to compare the urgency or importance of two different tasks, issues, or items. For example, "Addressing minor bugs is "lower priority than" fixing critical security vulnerabilities."

What is a good alternative to "lower priority than"?

Alternatives include "less important than", "secondary to", or "not as crucial as" depending on the specific context.

Is there a difference between "lower priority than" and "less important than"?

While similar, "lower priority than" often implies a temporal aspect (which task to do first), whereas "less important than" emphasizes a difference in overall significance. The choice depends on the context.

When should I avoid using "lower priority than"?

Avoid using "lower priority than" if you need to emphasize that something is equally important. In this case you should use a phrase such as "equal priority to".