before

adverb or adjective be·fore \ bi-ˈfȯr , bē- \

|Updated on: 16 Aug 2018

Examples: before in a Sentence

Definition of before

1 : in advance : ahead

marching on before

2 : at an earlier time

the night before

knew her before

See before defined for English-language learners

See before defined for kids

Recent Examples of before from the Web

But arms control analysts caution that delivering any sort of blow to Pyongyang’s sprawling missile and nuclear weapon infrastructure will take a herculean, years-long effort — the likes of which have never been seen before.

— w.j. hennigan, Time, "The Trump-Kim Summit Was a Month Ago. Little Has Changed So Far.," 9 July 2018
Then that strong photojournalism, sending writers and photographers all over the world taking images like nobody has ever seen before.

— recode staff, Recode, "Full transcript: Nat Geo executives Courteney Monroe, Rachel Webber and Susan Goldberg on Recode Decode," 6 July 2018
In approximately nine months when the sensors fell off, the elephant and Weddell seals collected more summer and wintertime ocean data in this area of the Amundsen Sea than researchers had ever had before.

— kasha patel, Smithsonian, "How Data-Gathering Seals Help Scientists Measure the Melting Antarctic," 13 July 2018
Pig iron could be poured right cannon and gun barrel molds, and Europe started pumping out weapons like never before.

— jonathan schifman, Popular Mechanics, "The Entire History of Steel," 9 July 2018
These visions have collided before, amid plentiful sound and fury.

— fred niedner, Post-Tribune, "Niedner: Recommitting to our founding values crucial to future," 6 July 2018
The massive regional floods of 1986 and 1997 tested the Sacramento area's flood defenses like never before, and the region has poured $2 billion into levee upgrades and other work in the past 20 years.

— dale kasler, sacbee, "Trump administration sends Sacramento $1.8 billion for flood protection," 5 July 2018
Martin-Dennehy says she's asked fathers to try the device many times before, but Maxamillion was the first to agree to try it out.

— caitlin o'kane, CBS News, "Photos of "breast-feeding" dad go viral," 3 July 2018
In fact, the door frames of the Seventh Avenue entrance had been painted just hours before.

— william finnegan, The New Yorker, "Can Andy Byford Save the Subways?," 2 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'before.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of before

Middle English, adverb & preposition, from Old English beforan, from be- + foran before, from fore

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

before Synonyms

Phrases

in advance;

before

preposition

Definition of before

1 a (1) : forward of : in front of

stood before the fire

(2) : in the presence of

speaking before the conference

b : under the jurisdiction or consideration of

the case before the court

c (1) : at the disposal of

the great sums placed before him

(2) : in store for

got the whole summer before you

2 : preceding in time : earlier than

just before noon

3 : in a higher or more important position than

put quantity before quality

See before defined for English-language learners

Examples of before in a Sentence

We arrived shortly before six o'clock.
He left just before sunrise.
I've never seen her so happy before now.
Call me before your arrival.
She arrived the day before yesterday.
Why haven't you ever helped me before now?
Your name is listed before mine.
You'll see my house just before the bank and after the school.
The Great Plains stretched endlessly before them.
The championship fight took place before a crowd of thousands.

Recent Examples of before from the Web

With Saturday’s win, the Orioles staved off becoming the quickest team to 70 losses before the All-Star break with one game to go Sunday.

— katherine fominykh, baltimoresun.com, "Orioles ride rookie Yefry Ramírez to beat error-riddled Rangers, 1-0," 15 July 2018
Preece went low to retake the lead before the close of the lap.

— shawn courchesne, courant.com, "Preece Holds Off Rocco for SK Modified Win At Thompson Speedwa," 15 July 2018
Serves are underhand and the first two hits must be ground strokes before any volleys can be struck.

— gary gibula, Naperville Sun, "Naperville answering demand for pickleball with new courts at Nike Complex, Southwest Park," 14 July 2018
Sabraw also insisted that the government provide at least 12-hours’ notice before reunifications, so that families and support groups can better prepare for it.

— phil mccausland /, NBC News, "Government says around 2,551 migrant children still need reunification with parents," 14 July 2018
Khosrowshahi plans to meet with the groups to discuss the issues before the end of the month.

— mike isaac, BostonGlobe.com, "At Uber, new questions arise about executive behavior," 14 July 2018
Morgan, a prominent photographer in the Detroit area, was married to General Holiefield, who was a UAW vice president before his 2015 death.

— dom calicchio, Fox News, "Widow of union official led 'high-flying lifestyle' on cash meant to train autoworkers: prosecutor," 14 July 2018
Eventually, Costas' greatest unintentional impact on the World Series coverage came a few days later in Oakland before Game 4.

— tom hoffarth, The Hollywood Reporter, "'Only in Hollywood': How MLB Network Captures the Drama (and Humor) of the '88 Dodgers," 13 July 2018
Police are seeking a man who allegedly assaulted a woman at her job before kidnapping and raping her.

— steve burns, ajc, "Man accused of kidnapping woman from Georgia car parts plant, raping her," 13 July 2018

Origin and Etymology of before

Middle English before, beforen, going back to Old English beforan — more at ¹before

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

See Words from the same year

before Synonyms

Synonyms

ahead of, ere, of, previous to, prior to, to;

Antonyms

after, following;

Near Antonyms

next, next to, since;

Related Words

till, until, up to;

Phrases

in advance of;

before

conjunction

Definition of before

1 a (1) : earlier than the time that

call me before you go

(2) : sooner or quicker than

I'll be done before you know it

(3) : so that … do not

get out of there before you get dirty

b : until the time that

miles to go before I sleep
—Robert Frost

c (1) : or else … not

must be convicted before he can be removed from office

(2) : or else

get out of here before I call a cop

2 : rather or sooner than

would starve before he'd steal

See before defined for English-language learners

Examples of before in a Sentence

He left long before morning came.
Say goodbye before you go.
Call me before you arrive.
I finished the exam before he did.
It was not long before he arrived.

Origin and Etymology of before

Middle English before, beforen, from before, beforen, ²before

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 13th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

See Words from the same year

BEFORE Defined for English Language Learners

before

adverb

Definition of before for English Language Learners

: at an earlier time
: to or toward the place where someone is going : in advance

before

preposition

Definition of before for English Language Learners

: at a time preceding (something or someone) : earlier than (something or someone)
—used to describe a time earlier than a specified hour
: preceding (something or someone) in order or in a series

before

conjunction

Definition of before for English Language Learners

: earlier than the time that : earlier than when
: until the time that
—used to refer to something that might happen

BEFORE Defined for Kids

before

adverb be·fore \ bi-ˈfȯr \

Definition of before for Students

1 : at an earlier time

I've been here before.

2 : ahead

go on before

before

preposition

Definition of before for Students

1 : in front of

He stood before a mirror.

2 : earlier than

You got there before me.

3 : before in order

Your name is listed before mine.

4 : in the presence of

She spoke before a crowd.

before

conjunction

Definition of before for Students

1 : ahead of the time when

Wash before you eat.

2 : sooner or quicker than

I'll be done before you know it.

3 : more willingly than

I'd starve before I'd steal.

4 : until the time that

It wasn't long before he caught on.

Law Dictionary

before

preposition be·fore

legal Definition of before

1 : in the presence of

then personally appeared before me

2 : to be judged or acted on by

a case before the court

a bill coming up before Congress

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See words that rhyme with before Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for before Spanish Central: Translation of before Nglish: Translation of before for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of before for Arabic speakers

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before

Definition of before

Recent Examples of before from the Web

Origin and Etymology of before

before Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

Near Antonyms

Related Words

Phrases

before

Definition of before

Examples of before in a Sentence

Recent Examples of before from the Web

Origin and Etymology of before

before Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

Near Antonyms

Related Words

Phrases

before

Definition of before

Examples of before in a Sentence

Origin and Etymology of before

BEFORE Defined for English Language Learners

before

Definition of before for English Language Learners

before

Definition of before for English Language Learners

before

Definition of before for English Language Learners

BEFORE Defined for Kids

before

Definition of before for Students

before

Definition of before for Students

before

Definition of before for Students

Law Dictionary

before

legal Definition of before

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