prioritize

(prī-ôr'ĭ-tīz', -ŏr'-)

v. Usage Problem, -tized, -tiz·ing, -tiz·es.

v.tr.
To arrange or deal with in order of importance.

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

[PRIORIT(Y) + -IZE.]

prioritization pri·or'i·ti·za'tion (-tĭ-zā'shən) n.

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 Notes at finalize.

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meaning 'to establish priorities for (a list of items)', is first recorded in 1968, and is often cited as an example of unwelcome verb formations in -ize. It is nonetheless a generally useful word, despite its associations with the world of business and management jargon:

Butlins offered a comfortable exoticism, prioritizing pleasure for all—S. Ewen et al., 1991

It is dangerous to prioritize any one of these beliefs and proclaim it the elusive 'spirit of the age'—P. Langford, 2002.

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Dansk (Danish)
v. tr. - prioritere
v. intr. - prioritere

Nederlands (Dutch)
prioriteiten geven, op volgorde zetten

Français (French)
v. tr. - donner la priorité
v. intr. - donner la priorité

Deutsch (German)
v. - nach Vordringlichkeit ordnen

Ελληνική (Greek)
v. - δίνω ή καθορίζω προτεραιότητα

Italiano (Italian)
mettere in ordine di priorità

Português (Portuguese)
v. - dar prioridade

Русский (Russian)
устанавливать приоритеты, уделять первостепенное внимание

Español (Spanish)
v. tr. - priorizar
v. intr. - dar prioridad

Svenska (Swedish)
v. - prioritera, bestämma vad s skall göra först

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
把...区分优先次序, 把事情按优先顺序排好

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
v. tr. - 把...區分優先次序
v. intr. - 把事情按優先順序排好

한국어 (Korean)
v. tr. - (계획, 목표)에 우선 순위를 매기다
v. intr. - 우선 사항을 결정하다

日本語 (Japanese)
v. - 優先順位を付ける, 優先させる, 優先事項を決定する

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(فعل) يعطي الأولويه‏

עברית (Hebrew)
v. tr. - ‮נתן עדיפות ל-, ארגן בסדר עדיפות‬
v. intr. - ‮עסק בדבר לפי סדר עדיפות מסוים‬

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