All utensils should be washed prior to use.
Synonyms and examplesbeforeTry to arrive before the start of the meeting.
in advance offormalCall in advance of your visit to see if you'll need a parking reservation.
ahead ofMy sister is arriving ahead of me to do the shopping for the dinner.
byMake sure you're back by midnight.
Antonym and exampleafterShe showed up after the meeting had started.
Go to the thesaurus article about these synonyms and antonyms ofprior to.
See alsobeforehand
previously
in advance
ahead of timemainlyUS
ahead
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The prepositionbeforeshows that one event happens earlier than another. Before is also ad adverb meaningat an earlier time.