ahead of

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 The announcement comes just ahead of the COP30 conference in Brazil, where ‘energy realists’ are once again likely to push back against stricter climate goals. Manal Albarakati, semafor.com, 7 Nov. 2025 The collection will launch just ahead of key rivalry games that traditionally take place the weekend after Thanksgiving. Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 7 Nov. 2025 The cancellations came ahead of a directive from the Federal Aviation Administration reducing flight capacity by 10%, cuts necessitated by air traffic controller shortages during the longest-ever government shutdown. Michael Salerno, AZCentral.com, 7 Nov. 2025 Bo transferred to the University of Oregon ahead of the 2022-23 school year, and Izzy joined her soon-to-be-husband in his new college town of Eugene after graduating from Auburn. Emily Krauser, PEOPLE, 7 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for ahead of
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ahead of
Preposition
  • Scientists tracking humpbacks off the coast of Australia have captured rare footage that shows clutches of the freeloading fish peeling away from their host in what looks like a high-speed game of chicken, just moments before the whale breaches.
    CNN Money, CNN Money, 8 Nov. 2025
  • Soika, a surgeon, unsuccessfully tried to book a rental car to get to Utah for a weekend trip before settling on an option that seemed straight out of Hollywood.
    JOSH FUNK, Arkansas Online, 8 Nov. 2025
Preposition
  • Her complaint alleged the school's assistant principal at the time, Ebony Parker, failed to act after being informed multiple times that her student had a firearm on the day of the incident and did not let staff search him prior to the shooting.
    Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 6 Nov. 2025
  • When Tasoulas asked Guilfoyle if she's ever visited Greece prior to her ambassadorship, Guilfoyle mentioned her honeymoon with Newsom.
    Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 6 Nov. 2025
Preposition
  • But age could prove to be Golden State's biggest vulnerability, especially against younger, bigger Western Conference squads like the Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver Nuggets and Houston Rockets.
    Alex Kirschenbaum, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
  • From the next great QB to the next big bust, Arch Manning has found something of a sweet spot of normalcy, having steered Texas to wins against Oklahoma and Vanderbilt in the last month.
    Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 5 Nov. 2025
Preposition
  • The area increased to 80% by 2018, according to state media, after numerous buildings and city walls were restored, and 135 temporary structures inside the compound were torn down.
    Fred He, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025
  • The researchers learned that people who ate very similarly to the portfolio diet had a 14% lower risk of developing coronary heart disease or stroke than people who ate less similarly to the diet.
    Renée Onque, CNBC, 6 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Ahead of.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ahead%20of. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.

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