Meaning of priority in English:

nounpriorities

• 1The fact or condition of being regarded or treated as more important than others.

  ‘the safety of the country takes priority over any other matter’

  More example sentences

  • ‘Financing the country's energy is an absolute necessity and takes priority over all things.’
  • ‘We do develop the local into good quality players but there comes a time when work takes priority over the game.’
  • ‘European Community law is potentially more powerful, since it takes priority over domestic law.’
  • ‘In such cases the need to protect the public takes priority over the principle of proportionality.’
  • ‘Currently not many are considered to be in priority need by local authorities.’
  • ‘Experiments also must be second in priority to the accumulation of points.’
  • ‘The well-being and saving the lives of the old folk must have priority if this deal has any validity.’
  • ‘The highest priority must go to measures that reduce the risk of immediate further attacks.’
  • ‘Our priority must be to provide proper mental health services and support for this young age group.’
  • ‘The priority must be the care and safety of mums-to-be, their babies and their families.’
  • ‘Mkhonta says cutting the number of pedestrian accidents must be given higher priority.’
  • ‘As a newspaperman, there are some stories you hold onto and some you assign priority status.’
  • ‘These would be given priority treatment and less severe cases would be put on a waiting list.’
  • ‘Giving loans from banks for agriculture purposes must be made easier and given priority.’
  • ‘He set off the next day knowing that finding food must be his first priority, but his next meal was to come from an unexpected source.’
  • ‘A degree of priority must logically be given to the funding of their primary home.’
  • ‘The biggest group in priority need were people with children, while those not in priority need were single men.’
  • ‘Clients can arrange a simple budget account through the centre to help them pay their priority debts.’
  • ‘Track events take priority over field events but all athletes must report to the field event official at the time stated.’
  • ‘The priority given to low costs contributes to a consensus that service improvements are unlikely.’

  Synonyms

  prime concern, first concern, most important consideration, most pressing matter, matter of greatest importance, primary issue

  precedence, greater importance, preference, precedency, pre-eminence, first place, highest place, predominance, primacy, the lead, weighting, weight

  View synonyms

  1. 1.1count noun A thing that is regarded as more important than others.
     ‘housework didn't figure high on her list of priorities’
     More example sentences

     • ‘As ever, humour was high on their list of priorities with this collection of one-act plays.’
     • ‘People at the meeting said the two disagreed fundamentally on their priorities.’
     • ‘We have to put ecological sanity and human rights at the top of our list of priorities.’
     • ‘You have a lot to do, a list of responsibilities but it is now time to make a list of priorities.’
     • ‘Those plans have moved further down his list of priorities since the world began waking up to the band.’
     • ‘The priorities will form the basis for a State of the District debate next month.’
     • ‘Tourism as a source of income is also high on the list of priorities in the strategy document.’
     • ‘I began to see things from her point of view and realised I'd had my priorities the wrong way round.’
     • ‘He also said ministers had got their priorities wrong in terms of the level of spending on test setting.’
     • ‘The move is an important shift in the government's public transport priorities.’
     • ‘With limited funds one can sympathise with those who have to decide on restoration priorities.’
     • ‘In addition, the priorities of shareholders may be different from those of the directors.’
     • ‘Decide on your priorities and they will define and create your opportunities.’
     • ‘When it comes to service, it is the poor and the needy who take primacy in her priorities.’
     • ‘It has sound financial management and funding is allocated according to its priorities.’
     • ‘One of my priorities would be to have a direct railway link to the airport.’
     • ‘You fall in love with a new person or idea, which changes your priorities for a while.’
     • ‘One of her first priorities is to look at new ways to use the hall and improve the service offered to visitors.’
     • ‘She said her priority areas in Bradford were communications and marketing.’
     • ‘A number of strategic priorities have been identified and acted upon since 1998.’
  2. 1.2British The right to proceed before other traffic.
     ‘priority is given to traffic already on the roundabout’
     More example sentences

     • ‘The following two sections deal with bus lanes and traffic signal priority respectively.’
     • ‘Give the bus priority over other traffic by fitting a musical klaxon, like the emergency services.’
     • ‘Do taxis in Skipton have priority over all traffic?’
     • ‘The new traffic lights are intended to give priority to buses coming from Wroughton park and ride.’
     • ‘Zurich's trams also have priority over all forms of traffic at any time, even over pedestrians at crossings.’
     • ‘Controversial plans to move queuing traffic and to give buses priority on a York road are being reconsidered.’
     • ‘This analysis has presented instances for which active bus priority may be justified.’
     • ‘It's actually possible to build traffic lights which give buses priority.’
     • ‘The city should give pedestrians and cyclists equal top priority, before motors and plan for this.’
     • ‘Cycle lanes and pedestrian access points will be given greater priority.’
     Synonyms

     right of way

     View synonyms