ahead 1 of 2

1
2
as in onwards
toward a point ahead in space or time sent me ahead to get a place in the check-out line while she went to get the eggs and milk

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
as in forward
toward or at a point lying in advance in space or time the line moved ahead at a snail's pace

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

ahead

2 of 2

adjective

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for ahead
Adverb
  • Moving forward, Olivetti says that serve speed will continue to increase as players look for new ways to refine this vital aspect of the game.
    Ben Church, CNN Money, 8 July 2025
  • Federal agencies were required to prepare a plan for making further reductions, but a federal judge in California ruled in May that the job cuts could not move forward.
    Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 8 July 2025
Adjective
  • The National Weather Service on Thursday advised of potential flooding and then sent out a series of flash flood warnings in the early hours of Friday before issuing flash flood emergencies — a rare alert notifying of imminent danger.
    Brit Morse, Fortune, 7 July 2025
  • The flooding began with a catastrophic storm that dropped 12 inches of rain in the early morning hours Friday, primarily between midnight and dawn.
    Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 July 2025
Adverb
  • With Dexter continuing onward these 19 years later, Dexter: Resurrection (which is now streaming on Paramount+ with Showtime) effectively blends the return of original characters from Dexter’s past, while adding in fresh characters that bring this captivating world to even greater heights.
    Jeff Conway, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
  • From the 1990s onward, governments increasingly relied on NGOs such as CARE International and Mercy Corps to deliver foreign aid.
    SARAH BUSH, Foreign Affairs, 3 July 2025
Adjective
  • China's exports to the U.S. dropped for a third month, falling over 16.1% in June, but the decline eased from the prior month amid a tariff truce.
    Anniek Bao, CNBC, 14 July 2025
  • The total 2025 bonus pool for the 30 teams is $350 million, up 4.8% from the prior year, which is tied to the growth of MLB revenues.
    Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 14 July 2025
Adverb
  • At that time Iryna and Oleg were already outside Mariupol -- the family managed to cross the checkpoints, heading to their relatives in Russia.
    ABC News, ABC News, 12 July 2025
  • New to Amazon, these sandals are already on sale for 48 percent off.
    Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 12 July 2025
Adverb
  • Nikolaj Ehlers, Carolina Hurricanes Contract: $8.5 million x six years There were only three first-line caliber forwards who changed teams this summer: Marner, JJ Peterka and Nikolaj Ehlers.
    Harman Dayal, New York Times, 11 July 2025
  • Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas also joined Collier, while Aces guard Jackie Young and forwards Kayla Thornton from the Golden State Valkyries and Gabby Williams from the Storm also join Clark’s squad.
    Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 9 July 2025
Adjective
  • Commissioners decided to wait until government staff produce additional information, including final spending data from the previous budget year, before proceeding. Mayor Tyrone Garner, who leaned in favor of holding off on the decision for now, split the tie vote among commissioners.
    Sofi Zeman July 11, Kansas City Star, 11 July 2025
  • Startup funding across the Middle East and North Africa plummeted in June, with $52 million raised across 37 deals, marking a 55% drop compared to the previous year.
    Kelsey Warner, semafor.com, 11 July 2025
Adverb
  • Chesky went back to texting, and Barber moved along—to an Isabel Marant store on Broome and then to a former Isaac Mizrahi warehouse at 102 Wooster.
    Andrew Marantz, New Yorker, 14 July 2025
  • Peristalsis is the involuntary contractions that the muscles of your intestines make to move food and other stuff along.
    Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 12 July 2025
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.

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ahead.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ahead. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on ahead

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!