ahead of

preposition

Definition of ahead ofnext
1
as in before
earlier than always arrives at school ahead of the bus we were cautioned not to fill out any of the test answers ahead of time

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in in advance of
preceding in space the three lost children emerged from the forest, with the family dog walking proudly ahead of them

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 ahead of In Indiana and Kentucky, where most polls closed at 6 pm ET, Democrats ran well ahead of their early vote totals two years ago. — David Weigel, semafor.com, 4 Nov. 2026 The Precinct 2 race has yet to be called as of midnight Wednesday, but Democrat Jared Williams is ahead of Republican Tony Tinderholt, a state representative. — Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Nov. 2026 Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass was narrowly ahead of City Councilmember Nithya Raman, her onetime political ally, in the race to lead the nation’s second-largest city, according to early returns Tuesday. — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2026 The current crisis will also intensify the already high political polarization in Poland, one year ahead of general elections. — ABC News, 3 Nov. 2026 See All Example Sentences for ahead of
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ahead of
  1. before
  2. against
  3. prior to
  4. to
Preposition
  • Simpson, 60, is a former state Senate president who served in the upper chamber for 10 years before winning the agriculture commissioner position in 2022.
    — Liv Caputo, Miami Herald, 4 Nov. 2026
  • The idea is bold and likely would face legislative hurdles and industry opposition before becoming law.
    — Stephen Hobbs, Sacbee.com, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of before
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
Preposition
  • In the latest case, prosecutors accused Wong of conspiring with others to lobby the United States and other countries to sanction China and Hong Kong, prior to the NSL’s imposition.
    — Chris Lau, CNN Money, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Those cases involve prisoners who had a felony conviction on their record prior to receiving a death sentence, or racked up additional crimes while awaiting execution.
    — Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of prior to
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

Browse Nearby Words

ahead
ahead of
aid
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ahead of.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ahead%20of. Accessed 8 Nov. 2026.

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