prewar

adjective

pre·​war ˌprē-ˈwȯr How to pronounce prewar (audio)
variants or pre-war
: occurring or existing before a war and especially before World War II
prewar conditions
the prewar era/period/years
the country's prewar population
prewar levels of industrial production
an apartment in a prewar building

Examples of prewar in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Precise estimates of oil passing through the strait are not available, but the volume seems to be somewhere between a quarter and half of the prewar flow of 20 million barrels a day. — Hamidreza Azizi, Time, 29 Aug. 2026 Oil continues to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, albeit well below prewar levels, shipping analysts say. — ABC News, 27 Aug. 2026 Stringer | Reuters Iran and Oman discussed a proposal to create a temporary, joint shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz yesterday as tanker traffic remains sharply below prewar levels. — Alex Harring, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026 Another prewar beauty, this one just a block from Central Park on upper Madison Avenue. — Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 24 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for prewar

Word History

First Known Use

1868, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of prewar was in 1868

Rhymes for prewar

See All Rhymes for prewar

Browse Nearby Words

Prévost d'Exiles
prewar
prewarn
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Prewar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prewar. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

prewar

adjective
pre·​war
ˈprē-ˈwȯ(ə)r
: occurring or existing before a war
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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