prior year

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "prior year" is correct and usable in written English.
It is used to refer to the year that occurred before the current year. For example, "Comparing the two years, sales were up significantly from the prior year".

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

52 human-written examples

Exceptional costs for the prior year were £2.3m".

The Guardian - Sport

"Our demand continues to be well above the prior year".

The New York Times

Graphs track Percentage change over prior year in Fairfield.

The New York Times

They had dramatic improvements over the prior year.

The New York Times - Sports

Mortgage originations fell 66% from the prior year to $16.8bn.

The Guardian - Business

Percentage change over prior year in Westchester, Nassau and Suffolk.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

8 human-written examples

In those cases we used prior- year figures.

Forbes

Revenue was flat with the prior-year quarter.

Los Angeles Times

Only 3 of 7 models included a streamflow variable; inclusion of prior-year conditions was common.

Journal of Arid Environments

Revenue rose 10percentto to $12.14 billion, from $11 billion in the prior-year period.

The New York Times

Prior-year earnings are adjusted for a 2-for-1 stock split in July 2000.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When comparing data across different time periods, use "prior year" consistently to maintain clarity and avoid confusion. For instance, always specify "prior year" instead of switching between "last year" and "previous year" within the same document.

Common error

Avoid using "prior year" when you actually mean "the year before last" or a more distant year. Always ensure the time reference is precise to avoid misinterpretations.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "prior year" functions as an adjectival modifier, specifying which year is being referenced in relation to the current year. It typically modifies nouns such as 'sales', 'revenue', or 'performance', as shown in Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

59%

Science

22%

Formal & Business

13%

Less common in

Wiki

4%

Academia

2%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "prior year" is a grammatically correct and very common term used to refer to the year immediately preceding the current year. As Ludwig AI confirms, it functions as an adjectival modifier, facilitating comparisons across time, particularly in contexts related to news, science, and formal business. While alternatives like ""previous year"" or "last year" exist, "prior year" is often favored in more formal settings. Remember to use it consistently and precisely to avoid ambiguity in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

previous year

Uses "previous" instead of "prior", indicating the year immediately before the current one.

year prior

Inverts the word order while maintaining the original meaning.

year before

Rephrases the concept to focus on the temporal relation to the current year.

preceding year

Employs "preceding" as a more formal synonym for "prior".

earlier year

Focuses on the relative time frame, indicating a year in the past.

last year

Uses a more common and concise term for the year immediately before the current year.

past year

Highlights that the year has already occurred.

the year before last

Refers to the year two years prior to the current year.

reference year

Indicates a year used for comparison or benchmarking.

base year

Implies a year used as a starting point for comparisons over time.

FAQs

How to use "prior year" in a sentence?

You can use "prior year" to compare data or events to the year immediately preceding the current one. For example, "Sales increased by 15% compared to the "previous year"".

What can I say instead of "prior year"?

You can use alternatives like ""previous year"", "year before", or "last year" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "prior year" or "previous year"?

Both "prior year" and ""previous year"" are correct and often interchangeable, although "prior year" might be preferred in more formal or business contexts.

What's the difference between "prior year" and "last year"?

"Prior year" and "last year" generally refer to the same period, the year immediately before the current one. The choice between them depends on the desired tone and context. "Prior year" may sound more formal in certain settings.