4 syllables: Pri, or, i, tize. Stress on or.
preye-AW-ruh-teyez
/pɹaɪˈɔɹəˌtaɪz/
Prioritize is pronounced preye-AW-ruh-teyez (/pɹaɪˈɔɹəˌtaɪz/). It has four syllables (Pri-or-i-tize), with the stress on "or". Prioritize is a verb meaning to designate or treat something as more important than other things, allocating attention and resources accordingly. It involves ordering tasks by importance or urgency to optimize outcomes. In usage, it often implies deliberate focus on high-priority goals or actions, sometimes at the expense of less critical duties.
verbPrioritize is a verb meaning to designate or treat something as more important than other things, allocating attention and resources accordingly. It involves ordering tasks by importance or urgency to optimize outcomes. In usage, it often implies deliberate focus on high-priority goals or actions, sometimes at the expense of less critical duties.
"- In project planning, you should prioritize the features that deliver the most value."
"- She prioritized her health by scheduling regular exercise and sleep."
"- The team prioritized customer refunds after the system outage."
Pronounce as /praɪˈɔːrɪtaɪz/ (US) or /praɪˈɒrɪtaɪz/ (UK). The emphasis is on the second syllable after the prefix 'pri-', so you say pri- (pre-rare) and then OR-i-tize with a strong yod‑like glide between /ɔː/ or /ɒ/. Start with /praɪ/ (eye-pry), then /ˈɔːr/ (or-ruh), followed by /ɪ/ (ih) and /taɪz/ (tize). Your mouth opens slightly for the /ɔː/ or /ɒ/ and the final /aɪz/ is a long 'I' plus /z/.
Common errors include misplacing the stress (trying to stress the first syllable), mispronouncing /ɔː/ as a short /ɑ/ or /ɒ/, and dropping or muffling the final /tɪz/ into /-tiz/ or /-taɪz/. To correct: keep the secondary syllables tight, clearly articulate the /ˈɔːr/ vowel, and finish with a crisp /taɪz/. Practice the sequence /praɪ/ + /ˈɔːr/ + /ɪ/ + /taɪz/ with steady tempo.
US tends to use /praɪˈɔːrɪtaɪz/, with rhotic /r/ in the /ˈɔːr/ syllable and a longer /ɔː/. UK typically /praɪˈɒrɪtaɪz/, with non‑rhotic /r/ and a shorter /ɒ/ in the second syllable. Australian often aligns with UK vowels but may show a slightly broader /ɔː/ and more pronounced final /z/ due to intonation. In all, the key is the second syllable stress and the final /taɪz/ becoming a sharp, voiced /z/.
The difficulty lies in the sequence of swift vowel shifts: /aɪ/ in the first syllable, a mid back vowel in /ˈɔːr/ (or /ˈɒr/), and the final /taɪz/ that blends /t/ with a future tense /-aɪz/. Learners often misplace stress or shorten the central vowel, producing /praɪˈɒrɪtɪz/ or /praɪˈɔːrɪt/ without the final /z/. Focusing on the two‑syllable cluster before -ize helps maintain accuracy.
There are no silent letters in prioritize. All letters contribute to the pronunciation: p-r-i-o-r-i-t-i-z. The challenge is coordinating the sounds quickly: /pr/ onset, /aɪ/ glide, /ɔːr/ or /ɒr/ cluster, /ɪ/ short, and final /taɪz/. Emphasize the rhotic or non‑rhotic vowel length and finish with a voiced /z/.
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Prioritize comes from the medieval Latin term prioritāre, formed from priority + -ize, originally meaning to treat as first in order. The root priority itself derives from Latin prior, meaning 'earlier, former, first'. In English, the word evolved in the late 17th to 18th centuries as a managerial or bureaucratic term, expanding from a noun (priority) to a verb (to prioritize) to describe the act of arranging tasks in an order of importance. Its semantic shift mirrors organizational practices as planning and efficiency gained prominence in business and military contexts. First known uses appear in early modern administrative writings, with the concept becoming ubiquitous in modern project management and software development. Over time, its usage broadened beyond formal settings to everyday speech, retaining the core sense of giving prominence to one thing over others.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Prioritize" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Prioritize" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Prioritize"
-ize sounds
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