prioritize
To decide the order of importance and deal with the most important things first.
Examples
In a meeting
“We need to prioritize bug fixes over new features this sprint.”
Over coffee
“I'm trying to prioritize sleep over scrolling at night.”
Why this word
rank
Prioritize implies ordering by importance and urgency for action, while rank is just ordering by any criteria
organize
Prioritize specifically means determining order of importance, while organize is arranging by any system
focus on
Prioritize involves systematic evaluation of multiple items, while focus on just means concentrating attention
Usage tip
Not just making a list — it means actively choosing what gets your attention first and what can wait.
Etymology
Latin prior (former, first) + -ize (to make)
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Related words
generate
To cause something to arise or come about; to produce.
anticipate
To expect or predict something and prepare for it accordingly.
preempt
Take action to prevent something before it happens
proactive
Acting in advance to deal with expected situations
accelerate
To speed up a process or increase the pace
initiative
A new plan or action taken to achieve something