during

preposition

dur·​ing ˈdu̇r-iŋ 

also ˈdyu̇r-

1

: throughout the duration of

swims every day during the summer

2

: at a point in the course of

was offered a job during a visit to the capital

Synonyms of during

• throughout
• by

Examples of during in a Sentence

She swims every day during the summer.

We got along well during the trip.

He worked in the field during most of the day.

During the interview, they asked about my previous jobs.

The fire alarm went off during the ceremony.

Recent Examples on the Web

Four Fort Worth restaurants were temporarily closed, and roaches were found at others during the latest round of city health inspections, according to the inspection reports. —Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Mar. 2026

The difference is that in prediction markets, people are wagering actual money, which tends to sharpen the mind in ways that answering a pollster's call during dinner does not. —Arkansas Online, 24 Mar. 2026

That’s a harder thing to generate during a season. —Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 24 Mar. 2026

While wind and solar can generate huge amounts of energy, their intermittency and non-availability during peak demand hours present a major challenge for nations. —Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 24 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from present participle of duren to last, from Anglo-French durer, from Latin durare to harden, endure, last, from durus hard; perhaps akin to Sanskrit dāru wood — more at tree entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for during

• curing
• luring
• mooring
• touring
• alluring
• assuring
• contouring
• enduring
• ensuring
• insuring
• manuring
• maturing

Kids Definition

during

preposition

dur·​ing ˌd(y)u̇r-iŋ 

1

: throughout the course of

swims every day during the summer

2

: at some time in the course of

you may call me during the day