At the A1 level, 'priority' is a big word, but you can understand it simply as 'the most important thing.' Imagine you have a list of things to do. The thing at the top of the list is your priority. For example, if you are hungry, eating is your priority. If you have a test tomorrow, studying is your priority. It is the thing you do first because it is very important. You might hear a teacher say, 'Your priority is to finish your homework.' This just means 'The most important job for you is to finish your homework.' It is about making a choice between two or more things and picking the one that matters most right now. In simple English, we often use the word 'important' instead, but 'priority' is a special word for when we compare things. If you have five apples and one is for your mom, that apple is the priority apple—it is the one you must not lose!
At the A2 level, you start to use 'priority' to talk about your daily life and routines. You might talk about your 'priorities' (plural) at school or at home. For example, 'My priorities this week are my English project and my football practice.' It helps you explain why you are busy. You also see this word in public places. On a bus or a train, you might see a sign for 'priority seating.' This means the seats are for people who need them more, like old people or people with babies. You should give these people the seat first. It is also used in shopping. 'Priority shipping' means your package will arrive faster because the post office treats it as more important than other packages. At this level, you should know that a priority is something that comes first in time or importance.
At the B1 level, 'priority' becomes a useful word for discussing plans, work, and personal management. You can use phrases like 'to give priority to' or 'to take priority over.' For example, 'In my job, customer service takes priority over everything else.' This means customer service is the most important part of the job. You can also talk about 'setting priorities.' This is a common skill in life—deciding what to do first when you have a lot of work. You might say, 'I need to set my priorities straight,' which means you need to organize your life and decide what is truly important. You will also hear it in the news, such as 'The government's priority is to create more jobs.' Here, it describes a main goal or a focus. It is a more formal and precise way of saying 'main goal.'
At the B2 level, you should be comfortable using 'priority' in professional and abstract contexts. You understand that priorities can change, leading to the phrase 'shifting priorities.' You can discuss 'competing priorities,' which is when you have several important things to do at the same time and it is difficult to choose. You also use 'priority' as an attributive adjective frequently: 'priority access,' 'priority area,' or 'priority task.' You should know the verb form 'prioritize' and how to use it in sentences like 'We need to prioritize our spending.' At this level, you understand that priority is often about resource allocation—deciding where to spend time, money, or effort. You might also use it in more complex structures, such as 'The project was given high priority by the board of directors.' It is a key word for business English and academic writing.
At the C1 level, you use 'priority' with nuance and precision. You understand the difference between 'priority' and 'precedence.' You can use the word to discuss complex social or philosophical issues. For example, 'The ontological priority of the individual over the collective is a central theme in Western philosophy.' Here, priority refers to what is considered more fundamental or basic. You also use it in high-level business strategy: 'We need to establish a hierarchy of priorities to ensure strategic alignment across all departments.' You are familiar with idiomatic and formal expressions like 'a matter of priority' or 'to accord priority to.' You can also use it to describe subtle shifts in focus, such as 'The company is re-evaluating its strategic priorities in light of the recent market volatility.' Your usage is fluid, and you can distinguish between urgency and priority in professional management contexts.
At the C2 level, 'priority' is a tool for sophisticated analysis. You can use it to deconstruct arguments or policies. You might discuss the 'competing priorities of environmental sustainability and economic growth' with a deep understanding of the trade-offs involved. You can use the word in very formal, almost legalistic ways, such as 'The claims of the secured creditors take priority over those of the unsecured creditors in the event of liquidation.' You are also aware of the historical development of the word—how it shifted from a singular concept (the one first thing) to a pluralized one (a list of important things) and the philosophical implications of that shift. You can use 'priority' to discuss abstract concepts like 'logical priority' or 'temporal priority' in academic discourse. Your mastery allows you to use the word to create clear, authoritative, and nuanced communication in any setting.

priority in 30 Sekunden

  • Priority means something is more important and comes first.
  • It can be a noun (my priority) or an adjective (priority seating).
  • We use 'prioritize' as the verb to describe the action.
  • Commonly used in business, travel, and daily time management.

The concept of priority is foundational to human decision-making and organizational logic. At its core, priority refers to the state or quality of being treated as more important than other things. When something is a priority, it occupies a privileged position in a hierarchy, whether that hierarchy is based on time, value, or urgency. The word is derived from the Latin prior, meaning 'former' or 'first,' which perfectly encapsulates its primary function: determining what comes first. In modern English, while 'priority' is traditionally a noun, it frequently functions as an attributive adjective in phrases like 'priority seating' or 'priority tasks,' where it modifies the noun to indicate a status of elevated importance.

Temporal Priority
The arrangement of events where one must occur before another can proceed.
Value-Based Priority
Assigning importance based on the inherent worth or impact of an outcome.
Strategic Priority
In a business context, these are the core objectives that drive all other departmental actions.

To understand priority, one must understand the concept of scarcity. If resources—time, money, energy—were infinite, the concept of priority would be redundant. We prioritize because we cannot do everything at once. Therefore, priority is as much about what we choose not to do as it is about what we choose to do. It is the mechanism by which we resolve conflict between competing demands. In a psychological sense, our priorities reflect our values; they are the external manifestation of our internal belief system. When we say 'family is my priority,' we are stating that in any conflict between work and family, the latter will take precedence.

The rescue team gave priority to the injured children during the evacuation process.

Furthermore, the term often appears in the plural—priorities—to describe the set of various concerns that an individual or organization must balance. Navigating these priorities requires a constant process of reassessment. What is a priority today might not be one tomorrow. This fluidity is a key characteristic of the word. In technical fields, such as computer science, 'priority' refers to the order in which a processor handles tasks, often determined by a 'priority level' assigned to different threads or processes. This technical usage mirrors the social usage: the most critical tasks get the most immediate attention.

In this project, speed is our top priority, even if it means higher costs.

The airline offers priority boarding for passengers in first class.

Environmental protection must be a global priority for the next decade.

We need to get our priorities straight before we spend any more money.

High Priority
Tasks that require immediate attention and have significant consequences if delayed.
Low Priority
Tasks that can be deferred without immediate negative impact.

Using the word priority correctly involves understanding its role as both a noun and an attributive adjective. As a noun, it is frequently used with verbs like 'set,' 'establish,' 'give,' 'take,' and 'rearrange.' For example, a manager might 'set the priorities' for the week. When something 'takes priority over' something else, it means it is more important and should be dealt with first. This prepositional phrase 'over' is crucial for comparing two competing interests. You don't say 'priority than,' but always 'priority over.'

Collocation: Top Priority
The single most important thing on a list. 'Safety is our top priority.'
Collocation: Shift Priorities
To change what you consider important. 'The company shifted its priorities toward digital sales.'
Collocation: Give Priority To
To grant someone or something special status. 'The hospital gives priority to emergency cases.'

When used as an adjective, 'priority' describes a noun that has been granted special status. Common examples include 'priority seating' on public transport, 'priority mail' in postal services, and 'priority access' at events. In these cases, 'priority' acts as a qualifier. It is important to note that 'priority' does not have a comparative form like 'prioritier.' Instead, we use 'higher priority' or 'lower priority.' If you want to describe the action of making something a priority, the verb is 'prioritize.' Many learners confuse the noun 'priority' with the verb 'prioritize' in sentence construction.

The government must decide which sectors to give priority to in the new budget.

In professional writing, 'priority' is often used to justify resource allocation. For instance, 'Due to the priority of the Alpha Project, all other development has been paused.' Here, the word explains the 'why' behind a decision. In interpersonal communication, 'priority' can be used to set boundaries. Saying 'My priority right now is finishing this report' is a polite but firm way to tell someone you cannot help them with something else at the moment. It is a powerful word for managing expectations and clarifying focus.

We need to identify our priority areas for investment over the next five years.

Does this task have a high priority level in the system?

Competing Priorities
When two or more tasks are equally important, creating a conflict of choice.
A Matter of Priority
A formal way to say something is urgent. 'This is a matter of priority for the board.'

The word priority is ubiquitous in professional, academic, and logistical environments. In the corporate world, you will hear it during 'stand-up' meetings, quarterly reviews, and strategic planning sessions. Managers often talk about 'aligning priorities' to ensure that everyone on a team is working toward the same goals. If you work in software development, you will encounter 'priority' in bug tracking systems (like Jira), where issues are labeled P1 (Critical/Top Priority) down to P4 (Low Priority). This helps developers know exactly what to fix first to prevent system crashes.

'We need to re-evaluate our priorities if we want to meet the Q3 targets,' the CEO announced.

In the travel and service industry, 'priority' is a marketing term used to denote premium service. Airlines offer 'priority check-in,' 'priority boarding,' and 'priority baggage handling' to their frequent flyers or business class passengers. Similarly, theme parks sell 'priority passes' (often called FastPasses) that allow guests to skip long lines. In these contexts, priority is a commodity—something that can be purchased to save time. It creates a tiered system of service based on status or payment.

In political discourse, 'priority' is used to signal a government's agenda. A politician might say, 'Education is our number one priority.' This is intended to reassure the public that tax money and legislative time will be focused on schools. In news reporting, you might hear about 'priority zones' for urban redevelopment or 'priority groups' for vaccination rollouts. In all these cases, the word serves to categorize and rank needs in a complex society. Even in personal life, self-help books and productivity podcasts are obsessed with 'the art of priority,' teaching people how to manage their 'to-do' lists effectively.

Priority Seating
Found on buses and trains, reserved for the elderly, disabled, or pregnant.
Priority Lane
A specific lane in traffic or at a border crossing for certain types of vehicles or travelers.

The hospital's priority is to provide care to those in life-threatening conditions.

One of the most frequent mistakes learners make is confusing the noun priority with the verb prioritize. You cannot 'priority a task'; you must 'prioritize a task' or 'make a task a priority.' Another common error is using the wrong preposition. As mentioned before, something takes priority over something else, not 'than' or 'to.' For example, 'Health takes priority over wealth' is correct. Using 'priority' as an adjective also requires care; while 'priority task' is common, 'prioritized task' is often more precise if the task was recently moved up the list by a person.

Incorrect: 'I have many priority.'
Correct: 'I have many priorities.' (The noun is countable).
Incorrect: 'This is more priority than that.'
Correct: 'This has a higher priority than that' or 'This is a higher priority.'

There is also a subtle semantic mistake regarding the pluralization of the word. Historically, 'priority' was singular—you could only have one 'first' thing. However, in modern usage, 'priorities' (plural) is standard. Some linguistic purists argue that having 'multiple top priorities' is a logical impossibility, but in business and daily life, it is a reality we all face. Avoid saying 'the most priority'; instead, use 'the highest priority' or 'the top priority.' The word 'priority' itself implies a ranking, so it needs an adjective of degree (high, low, medium) rather than a quantifier of amount (much, little).

Wrong: 'We need to priority this.' Right: 'We need to prioritize this.'

Finally, be careful with the phrase 'priority to.' While you 'give priority to' someone, the thing that is important 'is a priority.' For example: 'We give priority to local applicants' vs. 'Local applicants are a priority.' Mixing these up can lead to awkward phrasing like 'Local applicants are priority to us,' which sounds slightly non-native. It is better to say 'Local applicants are a priority for us.'

Understanding the synonyms and related terms for priority helps in choosing the right word for the right context. Precedence is perhaps the closest synonym, often used in formal or legal contexts. While priority suggests importance, precedence often focuses on the order of time or rank. For example, 'The older law takes precedence over the new one.' Another related word is urgency. While people often treat priority and urgency as the same, they are different: urgency is about when something must be done, while priority is about how important it is.

Precedence
The right to come before others in order or rank. Often used in etiquette or law.
Paramountcy
The state of being of greatest importance. A very formal and strong word.
Primacy
The fact of being primary, preeminent, or more important. Often used in academic or philosophical discussions.

Importance is a broader term. All priorities are important, but not everything important is a priority. Salience is another sophisticated alternative, referring to the quality of being particularly noticeable or important—often used in psychology or linguistics. In a business setting, you might use criticality to describe how essential a task is to the success of a project. If something is 'top priority,' you could also describe it as paramount or overriding.

The safety of the passengers is paramount (a strong synonym for 'top priority').

On the opposite end, triviality or insignificance represent the lack of priority. If something is 'low priority,' it might be described as secondary or subsidiary. Understanding these nuances allows for more precise communication. For instance, calling a task 'secondary' implies it supports a primary task, whereas calling it 'low priority' simply means it can wait. Choosing the right word depends on whether you want to emphasize the time (urgency), the rank (precedence), or the essential nature (paramountcy) of the subject.

How Formal Is It?

Schwierigkeitsgrad

Wichtige Grammatik

Attributive nouns

Prepositional phrases with 'over'

Countable vs. Uncountable nouns

Gerunds as subjects

Modal verbs for advice (should/must)

Beispiele nach Niveau

1

My first priority is to eat breakfast.

Ma première priorité est de prendre mon petit-déjeuner.

Priority is used as a noun here.

2

Is school a priority for you?

L'école est-elle une priorité pour toi ?

Asking a question with 'is' and a noun.

3

Water is a top priority in the desert.

L'eau est une priorité absolue dans le désert.

'Top priority' is a common phrase.

4

The teacher said homework is a priority.

Le professeur a dit que les devoirs sont une priorité.

Reported speech using 'said'.

5

Please make this a priority.

S'il vous plaît, faites-en une priorité.

Imperative sentence.

6

Family is my priority.

La famille est ma priorité.

Simple subject-verb-complement structure.

7

I have one priority today.

J'ai une priorité aujourd'hui.

Countable noun usage.

8

Health is a big priority.

La santé est une grande priorité.

Using an adjective 'big' to describe the noun.

1

Look for the priority seating on the bus.

Cherchez les places prioritaires dans le bus.

'Priority' used as an adjective.

2

We need to set our priorities for the holiday.

Nous devons fixer nos priorités pour les vacances.

Plural 'priorities' with the verb 'set'.

3

Priority mail is faster than regular mail.

Le courrier prioritaire est plus rapide que le courrier ordinaire.

Comparative sentence.

4

Safety is the priority in this factory.

La sécurité est la priorité dans cette usine.

Using 'the' to indicate a specific priority.

5

I have too many priorities right now.

J'ai trop de priorités en ce moment.

'Too many' with plural noun.

6

The doctor gave priority to the sickest patient.

Le médecin a donné la priorité au patient le plus malade.

Phrase 'give priority to'.

7

Your priority should be finishing your work.

Ta priorité devrait être de finir ton travail.

Modal verb 'should' with 'be'.

8

What are your top three priorities?

Quelles sont tes trois priorités principales ?

Wh-question with plural subject.

1

The company decided to give priority to local products.

L'entreprise a décidé de donner la priorité aux produits locaux.

Infinitive phrase 'to give priority to'.

2

Emergency calls always take priority over regular calls.

Les appels d'urgence ont toujours la priorité sur les appels réguliers.

Phrase 'take priority over'.

3

We need to re-evaluate our priorities after the news.

Nous devons réévaluer nos priorités après les nouvelles.

Prefix 're-' added to 'evaluate'.

4

She has a lot of competing priorities at work.

Elle a beaucoup de priorités concurrentes au travail.

Adjective 'competing' modifying 'priorities'.

5

Is environmental protection a priority for the government?

La protection de l'environnement est-elle une priorité pour le gouvernement ?

Abstract noun as subject.

6

The manager asked us to list our priorities.

Le manager nous a demandé de lister nos priorités.

Verb 'list' used with 'priorities'.

7

Getting a job is my main priority after graduation.

Trouver un emploi est ma priorité principale après l'obtention du diplôme.

Gerund 'Getting' as subject.

8

They offer priority boarding for an extra fee.

Ils proposent l'embarquement prioritaire moyennant des frais supplémentaires.

Compound noun phrase.

1

The government must establish clear priorities for the next decade.

Le gouvernement doit établir des priorités claires pour la prochaine décennie.

Verb 'establish' with 'priorities'.

2

Repairing the bridge is a matter of priority for the city.

La réparation du pont est une question de priorité pour la ville.

Formal phrase 'a matter of priority'.

3

The shift in priorities led to the project's cancellation.

Le changement de priorités a conduit à l'annulation du projet.

Noun 'shift' with 'in priorities'.

4

We should give high priority to research and development.

Nous devrions accorder une haute priorité à la recherche et au développement.

Adjective 'high' modifying 'priority'.

5

Does the system assign priority levels to different tasks?

Le système attribue-t-il des niveaux de priorité à différentes tâches ?

Technical usage of 'priority levels'.

6

Her personal life took priority over her career for a while.

Sa vie personnelle a pris le pas sur sa carrière pendant un certain temps.

Past tense of 'take priority over'.

7

The charity gives priority to families with young children.

L'association donne la priorité aux familles avec de jeunes enfants.

Present simple for a general policy.

8

We need to identify the priority areas for urban renewal.

Nous devons identifier les zones prioritaires pour le renouvellement urbain.

Adjective 'priority' modifying 'areas'.

1

The board needs to align its strategic priorities with the long-term vision.

Le conseil d'administration doit aligner ses priorités stratégiques sur la vision à long terme.

Collocation 'strategic priorities'.

2

There is an inherent conflict between these two priority objectives.

Il existe un conflit inhérent entre ces deux objectifs prioritaires.

Adjective 'inherent' and 'priority' used together.

3

The legal system accords priority to the rights of the individual.

Le système juridique accorde la priorité aux droits de l'individu.

Formal verb 'accords'.

4

A reordering of priorities is necessary to address the climate crisis.

Un réordonnancement des priorités est nécessaire pour faire face à la crise climatique.

Noun 'reordering' of 'priorities'.

5

The task was downgraded to a lower priority after the meeting.

La tâche a été rétrogradée à une priorité inférieure après la réunion.

Passive voice 'was downgraded'.

6

National security often takes priority over civil liberties in times of war.

La sécurité nationale prime souvent sur les libertés civiles en temps de guerre.

Complex social comparison.

7

We must determine the logical priority of these arguments.

Nous devons déterminer la priorité logique de ces arguments.

Abstract usage in logic.

8

The software uses a priority-based scheduling algorithm.

Le logiciel utilise un algorithme d'ordonnancement basé sur les priorités.

Compound adjective 'priority-based'.

1

The debate centered on the ontological priority of mind versus matter.

Le débat portait sur la priorité ontologique de l'esprit par rapport à la matière.

Highly academic/philosophical usage.

2

The treaty stipulates that humanitarian aid must be given absolute priority.

Le traité stipule que l'aide humanitaire doit bénéficier d'une priorité absolue.

Formal verb 'stipulates' and 'absolute priority'.

3

The fiscal policy reflects a clear priority for debt reduction over social spending.

La politique budgétaire reflète une priorité claire pour la réduction de la dette par rapport aux dépenses sociales.

Economic analysis context.

4

The project’s failure was attributed to a fundamental misalignment of priorities.

L'échec du projet a été attribué à un désalignement fondamental des priorités.

Complex noun phrase 'misalignment of priorities'.

5

In the hierarchy of needs, physiological requirements take priority.

Dans la hiérarchie des besoins, les exigences physiologiques priment.

Reference to psychological theory.

6

The court must decide which of the competing claims has priority.

Le tribunal doit décider laquelle des demandes concurrentes est prioritaire.

Legal context regarding 'claims'.

7

The sheer number of priorities effectively meant that nothing was prioritized.

Le nombre impressionnant de priorités signifiait en fait que rien n'était priorisé.

Paradoxical usage to show irony.

8

The primacy of economic interests often dictates the priority of political agendas.

La primauté des intérêts économiques dicte souvent la priorité des agendas politiques.

Using 'primacy' and 'priority' in the same sentence.

Synonyme

precedence preference urgency predominance importance primacy

Gegenteile

unimportance inferiority subservience

Häufige Kollokationen

top priority
high priority
low priority
set priorities
shift priorities
competing priorities
give priority
take priority
strategic priority
priority area

Wird oft verwechselt mit

priority vs Prioritize

Prioritize is the verb (action); priority is the noun (thing).

priority vs Prior

Prior means 'before' in time; priority means 'importance'.

priority vs Precedence

Precedence is more formal and often relates to legal or ceremonial order.

Leicht verwechselbar

priority vs

priority vs

priority vs

priority vs

priority vs

Satzmuster

So verwendest du es

plural

Priorities is used for a list of important things.

attributive

Priority can act like an adjective (priority task).

Häufige Fehler
  • Priority is a noun, not a verb.

  • Priority uses adjectives of height (high/low) for comparison.

  • The correct preposition is 'over'.

  • Priority is a countable noun and needs a plural form.

  • While priority can be an adjective, it usually modifies things or services, not people directly, unless in specific technical contexts.

Tipps

Noun vs Verb

Always remember that 'priority' is a noun. If you want to describe the action of ranking things, use the verb 'prioritize.' This is a very common mistake in business writing.

High/Low

Use the adjectives 'high' and 'low' to describe priority. Avoid 'big' or 'small.' Saying 'This is a high priority' sounds much more professional than 'This is a big priority.'

Polite Refusal

You can use 'priority' to politely say no. Instead of saying 'I don't want to do that,' say 'That isn't a priority for me right now.' it sounds more objective and less personal.

Setting Expectations

In meetings, always clarify the 'order of priority.' This prevents confusion about which tasks are the most critical for the team to complete first.

Airport Signs

When traveling, look for the word 'Priority' on signs. It usually indicates a faster line for check-in or security, but check if you have the correct ticket or status first.

Eisenhower Matrix

Use the concept of priority to organize your life. Distinguish between what is 'urgent' and what is 'important.' True priorities are usually both.

Transition Word

Use 'A key priority is...' as a transition sentence in your writing to introduce your main point. It helps the reader follow your hierarchy of ideas.

Emphasis

When you say 'This is a priority,' emphasize the 'OR' sound in the middle. This makes the word sound clear and authoritative.

Public Transport

In many countries, 'priority seating' is not just a suggestion; it's a social rule. Always be aware of these signs to avoid appearing rude.

Straighten Up

If someone tells you to 'get your priorities straight,' they are suggesting that you are focusing on the wrong things and need to rethink what is important.

Einprägen

Wortherkunft

Late Middle English via Old French 'priorite'.

Kultureller Kontext

Often emphasizes collective priorities like family or social harmony.

Focus on individual time management and productivity.

Priority is a quantifiable metric in project management.

Im Alltag üben

Kontexte aus dem Alltag

Gesprächseinstiege

"What is your top priority for the coming year?"

"How do you decide your priorities when you are very busy?"

"Do you think governments give enough priority to climate change?"

"Is priority boarding at airports worth the extra money?"

"How have your priorities changed since you were younger?"

Tagebuch-Impulse

List your top five priorities in life right now and explain why.

Describe a time when you had to choose between two competing priorities.

How would your life change if you made health your number one priority?

Write about a person whose priorities you admire.

Reflect on a time you had your priorities 'wrong'.

Häufig gestellte Fragen

10 Fragen

It is better to say 'higher priority.' Priority is usually treated as a level or a rank, so we use height (high/low) to describe it. 'More priority' is occasionally used but sounds less natural to native speakers.

No, you can have a single 'priority.' However, in modern life, people often have several things they care about, so the plural 'priorities' is very common when talking about life or work goals.

It refers to seats on public transport that are reserved for people who need them most, such as the elderly, pregnant women, or people with disabilities. You should give up these seats if someone in those categories needs them.

Urgency is about how soon something needs to be done. Priority is about how important it is. A task can be high urgency (needs to be done now) but low priority (it's not very important if it fails).

You don't. The verb form is 'prioritize.' For example: 'I need to prioritize my tasks.' You cannot say 'I need to priority my tasks.'

It means that one thing is more important than another and should be dealt with first. Example: 'Safety takes priority over speed.'

Yes, it is often used as an attributive adjective, meaning it sits right before a noun to describe it, like 'priority mail' or 'priority boarding.'

It is the most important thing on a list. It is the thing that must be done before everything else.

It is used in both formal and informal English, but it is especially common in professional, academic, and official contexts.

It is the right to enter a place or use a service before other people, often because you paid extra or have a special status.

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