before 1 of 2

preposition

Definition of beforenext
1
as in to
earlier than since I'm a faster runner, I got there before him

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in against
preceding in space the children always insisted on running before their parents

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

before

2 of 2

adverb

bi-ˈfȯr How to pronounce before (audio)
as in earlier
so as to precede something in order of time their arrival was completely expected because a messenger had gone before

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of before
Preposition
Jim Woolery was a dealmaker at the white-shoe law firm Cravath before leaving to run M&A at JPMorgan. — Ellen Dimauro, semafor.com, 7 Oct. 2026 The South Asian country meets nearly 85% of its fuel needs via imports, with the Strait of Hormuz being a key supply route before the war. — Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2026
Adverb
The first two lines in each stanza are about the promise of the season, before giving way to its end, showing the necessity of what came before in order for the next season to begin. — Literary Hub, 7 Oct. 2026 The rumba is much slower and more controlled than Ezra’s had to do before, which is a challenge at first, but my dude clearly gets the hang of it by showtime. — Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 7 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for before
Recent Examples of Synonyms for before
  1. to
  2. against
  3. ahead
  4. of
  5. already
  6. early
Preposition
  • There are cellars with vintages dating back to the 1880s and old wine caves covered in mildew and mold, which were a dream for a wine lover like me.
    — Erin Florio, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Its moments of overstatement are entirely human, en route to a lighter, softer state of serenity.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of to
Preposition
  • In the last two games combined, at Tennessee and against Oklahoma, the Texas offense has 13 three-and-outs.
    — Mac Engel October 10, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Oct. 2026
  • The Dream matched that 30-14 record this year and earned the fourth seed, giving them home-court advantage against Washington in the first round and New York in the semifinals.
    — Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of against
Adverb
  • Releases in North America and other markets are expected in the months ahead.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Sunday’s 31-24 loss to Cincinnati – the latest miserable day during this depressing season - crystallized several issues that general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and coach Jeff Hafley must navigate in the days and weeks ahead.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of ahead
Preposition
  • Deep Com Roots, the international sales arm of Spain’s ISII Group, is seeing that demand translate into sales beyond Spain.
    — Emiliano de Pablos, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
  • At least four deaths were linked to Isaias, the first hurricane of the Atlantic season, which came ashore as a Category 2 hurricane Friday near Destin, Fla.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of of
Adverb
  • And last December, after an already enviable year, Winter became the newest member of this exclusive club.
    — Walden Green, Pitchfork, 9 Oct. 2026
  • That means news of the divorce is already becoming semi-public.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of already
Adverb
  • But viewers had already seen Rosalía in them minutes earlier, at the conclusion of her one appearance in a comedy sketch.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Even early in the morning, the cafe had locals in doing breakfast meetings.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of early

Phrases Containing before

Browse Nearby Words

befogs
before
beforehand
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Before.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/before. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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