Prior vs Within - What's the difference?

As adverbs the difference between prior and within

is that prior is previously while within is in or into the interior; inside.

As an adjective prior

is of that which comes before, in advance.

As a noun prior

is a high-ranking member of a monastery, usually lower in rank than an abbot.

As a preposition within is

Indicates spatial enclosure or containment.

prior
English

Adjective
(-)
Of that which comes before, in advance.

I had no prior knowledge you were coming.

former, previous

His prior residence was smaller than his current one.

Usage notes
The etymological antonym is (m) (from Latin) (compare (m)/(m) for “first/last”). This is now no longer used, however, and there is no corresponding antonym. Typically either (m) or (m) are used, but these form different pairs – (m)/(m) and (m)/(m) – and are more formal than prior . When an opposing pair is needed, these can be used, or other pairs such as (m)/(m) or (m)/(m).
Synonyms
* See also
Derived terms
* prior to
Adverb
(en adverb)
(colloquial) Previously.

The doctor had known three months prior .

Noun
(wikipedia prior) (en noun)
A high-ranking member of a monastery, usually lower in rank than an abbot.

* 1939 , (Raymond Chandler), The Big Sleep , Penguin 2011, p. 53:

‘And a little later we get the routine report on his prints from Washington, and he's got a prior back in Indiana, attempted hold-up six years ago.’

(statistics) In Bayesian inference, a prior probability distribution.

within
English

Preposition
(English prepositions)

* 1908 , (Kenneth Grahame), (The Wind in the Willows) ,

The Rat.

* 2011 , Tom Fordyce, Rugby World Cup 2011: England 12-19 France [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/15210221.stm]

England struck back with a fine try from Ben Foden and closed to within seven points with three minutes left when Mark Cueto capitalised on a break from replacement Matt Banahan.

Before the specified duration ends.

* {{quote-news, year=2012, date=June 9, author=Owen Phillips, work=BBC Sport
, tyitle= Euro 2012: Netherlands 0-1 Denmark , passage=And Netherlands, backed by a typically noisy and colourful travelling support, started the second period in blistering fashion and could have had four goals within 10 minutes}}
Antonyms
* without * outside * outwith
Statistics
*
Adverb
(en adverb)
in or into the interior; inside