previous to today

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "previous to today" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to events or situations that occurred before the current day. Example: "The weather was much warmer previous to today, making it a pleasant surprise to see the snow."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

This functional form encodes the same type of belief, except replacing 'smoothly backwards in time' with 'dramatically at some time previous to today'.

Journal of Applied Volcanology

Previous to today, its last round was its $24 million Series C led by Ford in 2016 with an undisclosed investment from China's Cyber Carrier added later that year.

TechCrunch

Previous to today's announcement, IMAX had already shut down 4 of the 7 VR centers that had been opened.

TechCrunch

Previous to today's round the company raised raised $2.3 million from early stage investors, including Analytics Ventures, Airtek Capital Group, WMAS Management Group and Alain Schreiber.

TechCrunch

"We haven't found an airline that's been avoiding it previous to today," he said.

Los Angeles Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

Previous to 1824 these two articles had been equally the object of the greatest protection and care.

The Economist

The match lasted for 4 hours 36 minutes, a marathon by all standards set previous to last week.

The New York Times - Sports

The year previous to 2002 that is expressible in the form nCk where n and k are whole numbers is 1953 = 63C2, and the next one is 2016 = 64C2 followed by 2024 = 24C3.

The Guardian

Previous to 1920, stress, strain, and tension were seen as causes of hysteria and other mental illnesses.

Psicologia: Reflexão e Crítica

Disturbances previous to 1986 were prescribed on the basis of mapped stand age class from gradient nearest neighbor analysis (GNN) [89].

Carbon Balance and Management

The South African police have never been great, but previous to 1994, they were 40% white and 60% black.

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

While grammatically sound, consider if a simpler alternative like "before today" or "previously" would be clearer and more concise for your audience.

Common error

Avoid using "previous to today" in informal contexts. It can sound stilted or unnatural. Opt for more casual alternatives like "before today".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "previous to today" functions as a prepositional phrase, modifying a noun or verb by specifying a time frame before the current day. It indicates a temporal relationship, setting the action or state described in the sentence in a time before the present.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

40%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "previous to today" is a grammatically correct prepositional phrase used to indicate a time before the current day. While acceptable, simpler alternatives like "before today" are often preferred. Ludwig's analysis of various sources reveals that this phrase appears mostly in news and scientific contexts, suggesting a neutral to professional register. When writing, consider your audience and the overall tone you wish to convey before using this phrase.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

before today

More concise and direct.

prior to today

A more formal synonym.

before the present day

A more verbose and formal alternative.

earlier today

Refers to the same day but an earlier time.

in the past

A broader term that could include today but usually refers to a more distant time.

until today

Focuses on the period leading up to today.

up until now

Similar to "until today" but emphasizes the present moment.

heretofore

A very formal and somewhat archaic term.

in days gone by

Refers to a more distant past, often with a nostalgic tone.

formerly

Indicates a previous state or condition.

FAQs

What is the meaning of "previous to today"?

The phrase "previous to today" means before the current day. It's a way of referring to something that happened or existed at some point before today.

What can I say instead of "previous to today"?

You can use alternatives like "before today" or "prior to today". The best choice depends on the specific context and desired level of formality.

Is "previous to today" formal or informal?

While grammatically correct, "previous to today" tends to sound somewhat formal. Simpler alternatives are often preferred in everyday conversation.

How can I use "previous to today" in a sentence?

Example: "The company's financial performance was significantly better in the years "previous to today"'s economic downturn."