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.
Scholars are exploring the books and the archives that created them to learn more about all aspects of prewar Jewish life. — Jennifer Rich, The Conversation, 28 Oct. 2026 Don’t forget that many of the prewar family-size apartments all over the Upper West Side were chopped up into multiple units during the Great Depression, too. — Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 28 Oct. 2026 Through Oostdijk’s research, I was given a glimpse into their prewar life. — Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 27 Oct. 2026 Energy Secretary Chris Wright said this month that Gulf crude flows had recovered to between 80% and 90% of prewar levels. — Steven John, Fortune, 23 Oct. 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 Nov. 2026.

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Kids Definition

prewar

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