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
Those earlier tests helped engineers evaluate the system before moving to a live missile flight. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 21 Oct. 2026 The committees, which are made up of independent directors, would need to agree on the transaction terms of any deal before putting it to shareholders for a vote. — Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 21 Oct. 2026
Adverb
Achieving complete reusability with an orbital rocket has never been done before, so SpaceX’s engineering team will undoubtedly face some significant hurdles. — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 21 Oct. 2026 So, for example, this final scene is an eight-hour continuous shot over multiple locations and no one had ever done that before. — Lacey Rose, HollywoodReporter, 21 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
  • The parties agreed to a framework for an agreement in May that required everyone who filed a claim to sign off.
    — John Hanna, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2026
  • The Boise State defense also produced a turnover-on-downs in the final minutes, batting away several shots at the end zone to hold the Cougars to 10 points.
    — Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of to
Preposition
  • Catholics have used Scripture to argue for and against deportations and strict immigration enforcement.
    — Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2026
  • This comes after Toney also already set the school record for single-game receiving yards in the season opener against Stanford.
    — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of against
Adverb
  • Burrow's 13-yard scoring pass to Tee Higgins put Cincinnati ahead to stay.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026
  • An October 15 Datafolha survey put Lula ahead among women by 49% to 40%, while Flávio led among men by 52% to 40%.
    — Alessandra Freitas, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of ahead
Preposition
  • The opening on the opposite side of the dish room is not finished and has metal wall studs and sheet rock ends exposed.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of of
Adverb
  • Infrastructure on this scale needs a dedicated body that can keep pace with the technology and draw on the expertise already spread across existing agencies.
    — Neil Chatterjee, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Jeffries will campaign with Johnny Garcia, who’s running a competitive race in one of those seats where Republicans initially expected an easier pickup (after already forcing one longtime Democratic incumbent to retire).
    — Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of already
Adverb
  • Six of the injured are under 18 years old and the youngest is 11 years old, Chief Lawrence Revell of the Tallahassee Police Department said at a press conference early Sunday morning.
    — Samantha Cookinham, NBC news, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Brandon Miller, he of the $209 million contract extension earlier this week, started very cold and never stopped.
    — Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 24 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 27 Oct. 2026.

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