prior to payment

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "prior to payment" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something should happen or be done before a payment is made. Example: "Please ensure that all necessary documentation is submitted prior to payment to avoid any delays."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

The Moody's report cited Bard's "exceedingly thin liquidity with full draw on operating lines of credit," "weak documentation and transparency," "willingness to fund operations and projects prior to payment on pledges," and "growing dependence on cash gifts".

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Evidence from the US has reported reductions in LOS following the introduction of a prospective payment system in psychiatric care, as well as reductions in LOS due to anticipatory effects prior to payments starting [ 15, 16].

BMC Health Services Research

The Medicare Modernization Act of 2003 placed certain limitations on the type of review that could be conducted by Medicare Administrative Contractors prior to the payment of Medicare Part A and B claims.

Forbes

In the situation that your credit card is close to expiration, you will receive a notice prior to the payment date allowing you to update your account information.

WikiHow

Prior to founding payments OmiseGO, Jun was involved in founding a series of tech companies in Japan mainly in the fields of e-commerce, lifelog and mobile payments and is currently based in Bangkok.

TechCrunch

It turns out, many other companies may not be acting in compliance with OFAC regulations requiring that companies follow a due diligence process prior to making payments to suppliers to ensure they dont have an OFAC "hit".

TechCrunch

The NIHR requested that the trial gain all the necessary approvals prior to further payments being made.

BMC Medical Research Methodology

Today, the PER sample is a sample of 50percentt of all Title II (DI) and concurrent Title II/XVI (DI-SSI) initial allowances prior to effectuation of payment.

IZA Journal of Labor Policy

Prior to 2003, annual payments for forest protection were set at 50,000 VND/ha (around US $3).

Human Ecology

They're processing more than $3 million per day in mobile payments, and that was announced prior to their new iPad payments service which can replace the entire cash register system at retail merchants.

TechCrunch

"As the Paris climate negotiations at the end of the year will not be enough to avoid the 2C warming limit, a HFC phasedown is an important down payment prior to Paris".

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "prior to payment", ensure the context clearly indicates what action needs to be completed before the payment is processed. For instance, "All invoices must be approved prior to payment" provides clear instruction.

Common error

Avoid ambiguity by explicitly stating the action that must precede the payment. For example, instead of "Contact us prior to payment", specify "Contact us to confirm your shipping address prior to payment" to avoid confusion.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "prior to payment" functions as a prepositional phrase that modifies a verb or noun, indicating a temporal relationship. It specifies that something must occur or be in place before a payment is made, according to Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

32%

Science

48%

Wiki

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "prior to payment" is a prepositional phrase used to specify a condition or action that must occur before a payment is made. Ludwig AI confirms that it is grammatically correct and widely used across various formal contexts, including News & Media, Science, and Wiki. To ensure clarity, explicitly state the action required before payment. While alternatives like "before payment" exist, "prior to payment" maintains a slightly more formal tone.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Before payment

Omits "prior to" for a more concise expression.

Ahead of payment

Uses "ahead of" instead of "prior to", implying anticipation.

Previous to payment

Replaces "prior" with "previous", maintaining formality.

In advance of payment

Emphasizes that action must be taken earlier.

Preceding payment

A more formal and slightly less common alternative.

Before the payment is made

Expands the phrase into a full clause for clarity.

Until payment

Indicates an action continues up to the point of payment.

Leading up to payment

Suggests a period of time leading to the payment.

On the eve of payment

Implies something happening very close to the payment date.

Pending payment

Indicates something is waiting to happen and will happen when the payment is received.

FAQs

What does "prior to payment" mean?

The phrase "prior to payment" means before the payment is made. It indicates that something needs to happen or be completed before the payment can be processed or released.

How can I use "prior to payment" in a sentence?

You can use "prior to payment" to specify a condition that must be met before funds are transferred. For example: "All necessary documentation must be submitted "before payment" is issued."

What is a more formal way to say "prior to payment"?

A more formal alternative to "prior to payment" is "preceding payment" or "in advance of payment". These alternatives maintain a professional tone while conveying the same meaning.

Is "prior to payment" interchangeable with "after payment"?

No, "prior to payment" and "after payment" are not interchangeable. "Prior to payment" means before the payment, while "after payment" means following the payment. Using the wrong phrase can completely change the meaning of your sentence.