prioritize one thing over another

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "prioritize one thing over another" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when discussing the importance or preference of one task, goal, or item compared to another. Example: "In order to meet our deadlines, we need to prioritize one thing over another and focus on the most critical tasks first."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Everyone has hours and days where you need to prioritize one thing over another thing for a certain period of time, and then you make room for the other priorities as they shift and grow.

HuffPost

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

(They don't mention what parts are harder to do than others, but perhaps one part is the flatness of the structure and how that might impact prioritizing one thing over another; or whether regular meetings and assessments ever get in the way of just keeping your head down and working).

TechCrunch

Management must always prioritize one thing: the bottom line.

The Guardian - Opinion

They have preferences, betrayed by how long they stare at one thing over another.

The Guardian

The act of picking one thing over another thing saved them.

The Guardian

So bias is just preferring one thing over another.

Forbes

Tiffany Jana: So bias itself is just the preference of one thing over another.

Forbes

Nothing in what I have said means that you can't prioritize one difference over another.

Harvard Business Review

Finally, the user can add weights to the criteria function previously defined to prioritize one variable over another; for example, the user could use this option to prioritize cost over high availability.

Journal of Cloud Computing

That being said, we still have to find ways of raising money for any project we undertake, and wouldn't necessarily prioritize one department over another.

Forbes

Obama is obviously looking at America's issues with a wide lens you can't prioritize one agenda over another without sacrificing something.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider the audience and purpose when deciding whether to use "prioritize one thing over another" or a more specific alternative. Formal contexts might benefit from alternatives like "give precedence to", while informal contexts could use "prefer".

Common error

Avoid using "prioritize one thing over another" as a generic statement without providing a clear rationale. Always explain why one thing is being prioritized to give context and avoid sounding arbitrary.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "prioritize one thing over another" functions as a verb phrase indicating the action of giving precedence or greater importance to one item, task, or idea compared to another. Ludwig AI confirms this is grammatically correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "prioritize one thing over another" is a grammatically sound and commonly used expression for indicating that one item, task, or idea is being given more importance or precedence. Ludwig AI confirms its validity. While versatile, it's most impactful when the reasoning behind the prioritization is clear. Alternatives like "give precedence to one thing over another" or "favor one thing over another" can be used to subtly shift the emphasis. Be mindful of the context and ensure the reason for prioritization is apparent to maintain clarity and avoid sounding arbitrary.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

give precedence to one thing over another

Replaces "prioritize" with "give precedence to", emphasizing the act of giving priority.

favor one thing over another

Substitutes "prioritize" with "favor", indicating a preference.

place emphasis on one thing rather than another

Replaces "prioritize" with "place emphasis on", highlighting the act of emphasizing.

prefer one thing to another

Uses "prefer" instead of "prioritize", suggesting a liking for one over the other.

value one thing more than another

Focuses on the value assigned to each item, with one being of greater importance.

rank one thing higher than another

Emphasizes the ranking of items in terms of importance.

assign greater importance to one thing over another

Highlights the assignment of importance, clarifying the act of prioritization.

focus on one thing instead of another

Shifts the focus from prioritization to the act of focusing.

concentrate on one thing rather than another

Similar to focusing, but with an emphasis on concentration.

dedicate resources to one thing over another

Highlights the allocation of resources, showing what receives more attention.

FAQs

How can I effectively use "prioritize one thing over another" in a sentence?

To effectively use "prioritize one thing over another", clearly state both items being compared and the reason for prioritization. For example, "To meet the deadline, we must "prioritize coding over documentation" this week".

What are some alternatives to "prioritize one thing over another"?

Alternatives include "favor one thing over another", "give precedence to one thing over another", or "place emphasis on one thing rather than another", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it always necessary to explicitly state why you're prioritizing one thing over another?

While not always grammatically required, stating the reason for prioritization enhances clarity and strengthens your argument or explanation. It helps the audience understand the rationale behind your decision.

In what situations is it inappropriate to use "prioritize one thing over another"?

It may be inappropriate when discussing values or ethics where all options should ideally be given equal weight. In those cases, consider alternative phrasing that acknowledges the importance of all factors even if one is being focused on temporarily.