1
Rank tasks
Order work by importance or urgency.
Example
The team prioritised repairs to the damaged roof.
prioritize
/praɪˈɒrətaɪz/ · pry-OR-ih-tyzverb
To rank or treat tasks, goals, or needs in order of importance.
Use prioritize when limited time or resources require deciding what deserves attention first.
What prioritize Really Means
The word becomes easier to use when its closely related senses are separated and compared.
2
Allocate resources
Direct limited funds toward the most important need.
Example
The budget prioritises preventive care.
3
Choose a guiding goal
Treat one objective as more important than competing aims.
Example
The design prioritises accessibility over ornament.
Use prioritize Naturally
Notice how the surrounding noun or clause reveals the exact shade of meaning.
The team prioritised repairs to the damaged roof.
The budget prioritises preventive care.
The design prioritises accessibility over ornament.
Precision Matters
Prioritize overlaps with several common words, but each carries a different emphasis.
prioritize
vs.Is the act of ranking concerns.
imperative
Describes something vitally necessary.
prioritize
vs.Gives central importance.
peripheral
Treats something as secondary.
prioritize
vs.Makes a practical ordering decision.
orientation
Is a general guiding preference.
prioritize
vs.Selects what matters most.
indifferent
Shows no preference.
Test prioritize in Context
Limited resources require ranking the more urgent need first.
1
With only enough money to repair one structure, officials chose to ___ the unstable bridge over the lightly damaged storage shed.