Definition of prioritize

Email this page to a friend

< prioress

priority >

pri·or·i·tize    (pr-ôr-tz, -r-) KEY 

VERB:
Usage Problem pri·or·i·tized, pri·or·i·tiz·ing, pri·or·i·tiz·es
VERB:
tr.

To arrange or deal with in order of importance.

VERB:
intr.

To put things in order of importance: "Everyone should take time to be alone, to prioritize and meditate" (Art Linkletter).

---

ETYMOLOGY:
priorit(y) + -ize

OTHER FORMS:
pri·ori·ti·zation  (-t-zshn) KEY (Noun)
Usage Note:
It can be argued that prioritize serves a useful function in providing a single word to mean "arrange according to priority," but it is often regarded as corporate or bureaucratic jargon. Resistance to prioritize, however, has fallen dramatically in recent decades. In 1976, 97 percent of the Usage Panel rejected its use in the phrase a first attempt to prioritize the tasks facing the new administration. By 1997, however, 53 percent of the Panel approved the use of prioritize in the sentence Overwhelmed with work, the lawyer was forced to prioritize his caseload. This suggests that, like finalize, prioritize is rapidly securing a place in our everyday vocabulary. See Usage Note at finalize.