to give priority to

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "to give priority to" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing the importance or precedence of one thing over another in various contexts, such as decision-making or resource allocation. Example: "In our project, we need to give priority to the most critical tasks to meet the deadline."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

"A manager tends to give priority to those who ask.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

North Korea is believed to give priority to those considered loyal to its government.

The New York Times

We urge President Medvedev and President Obama to give priority to supporting and leading this effort.

The New York Times

Traffic control also can be used to give priority to high-occupancy passenger modes.

Encyclopedia Britannica

They were so busy, they said, those were the people they had to give priority to.

The New York Times

Maybe we need to give priority to vocational training and job-related programmes.

The Guardian - Opinion

Many secondary schools plan to give priority to year groups sitting exams.

The Guardian

They also tend to give priority to programming rather than people, so they are frequently understaffed.

The New York Times

You have to give priority to one in order to absorb the messages".

The New York Times - Tech

So, too, does the demand that Greece rewrites its constitution to give priority to debt servicing.

The Guardian - Business

"Italy needs to give priority to putting in place effective waste management plans".

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "to give priority to", ensure the context clearly indicates what is being prioritized and why. This will improve clarity and avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using passive constructions with "to give priority to". Instead of saying "Priority should be given to…", opt for the active voice: "We must give priority to…" This makes your writing more direct and impactful.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "to give priority to" functions as an infinitive phrase. It typically acts as a verb complement or an adverbial modifier, indicating that something is being assigned a higher level of importance or attention compared to other things. Ludwig's examples illustrate this in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

35%

Encyclopedias

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

4%

Wiki

1%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "to give priority to" is a very common and grammatically sound expression used to indicate that something is considered more important than something else. According to Ludwig, the phrase appears most frequently in News & Media and Scientific contexts, with a neutral register making it suitable for various settings. While alternatives like "to prioritize" and "to emphasize" exist, "to give priority to" specifically highlights the act of assigning greater importance. Remember to use the active voice for a more direct and impactful writing style.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

to prioritize

Focuses on the act of prioritizing as a whole, removing the "giving" aspect.

to emphasize

Highlights the importance of something, rather than necessarily allocating resources or attention.

to favour

Implies a bias or preference towards something.

to prefer

Similar to "favour", but suggests a personal inclination.

to highlight

Draws attention to something, making it more noticeable.

to stress the importance of

Explicitly states the significance of something.

to attach importance to

Highlights that a level of importance is given.

to focus on

Shifts attention to a specific item or element.

to concentrate on

Emphasizes sustained attention and effort.

to dedicate resources to

Specifically refers to allocating resources (time, money, etc.) to something.

FAQs

How to use "to give priority to" in a sentence?

You can use "to give priority to" when you want to express that something should be dealt with before other things. For example: "The company needs "to give priority to" customer satisfaction."

What can I say instead of "to give priority to"?

You can use alternatives like "to prioritize", "to emphasize", or "to focus on" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "to give priority to" or "to give priorities to"?

While "to give priorities to" is grammatically correct, ""to give priority to"" is more common when referring to assigning importance to a single overarching concern. Use "to give priorities to" when listing multiple separate important issues.

What's the difference between "to give priority to" and "to give precedence to"?

"To give priority to" suggests a general ranking of importance, while "to give precedence to" implies that something should be addressed or handled first in a sequence or process.