Master confusing words with ease
Prior vs. Previous
Prior
/ˈpraɪər/Examples:
She had prior knowledge of the event before it happened.It is crucial to complete tasks with prior preparation.Any prior commitment will take precedence over new plans.
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Antonyms:
Previous
/ˈpriːviəs/Examples:
He spoke about the previous times they had met.The call had come late the previous afternoon.Miss Bates was out, which accounted for the previous tranquillity.
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
Ways to tell them apart:
- Prior is often used in more formal contexts, such as legal or official situations.
- Previous is commonly used in everyday situations to refer to something that happened before another event.
- Both words indicate temporal precedence, but prior might suggest a more immediate past.
- If you had an appointment immediately before another, you might say it was your prior appointment.
- For an experience from the recent past, you might use previous, like talking about your previous job.
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