Synonyms of before

before 1 of 2

preposition

1

as in to

earlier than

since I'm a faster runner, I got there before him

Synonyms & Similar Words

• to
• until
• till
• of
• prior to
• previous to
• in advance of
• ahead of
• ere
• fore
• afore
• up to

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• after
• following
• since
• next
• next to

2

as in against

preceding in space

the children always insisted on running before their parents

Synonyms & Similar Words

• against
• in front of
• ahead of
• in advance of
• afore
• fore

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• after
• following

before

2 of 2

adverb

bi-ˈfȯr 

as in earlier

so as to precede something in order of time

their arrival was completely expected because a messenger had gone before

Synonyms & Similar Words

• earlier
• ahead
• already
• early
• previously
• beforehand
• now
• afore
• shortly
• preliminarily
• soon
• first
• anteriorly
• in advance
• formerly
• antecedently
• prematurely
• before long
• first off
• a priori
• presently
• erelong

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• later
• afterward
• after
• subsequently
• next
• behind
• by and by

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of before

Preposition

The former weapon of mass destruction has been in hiding for some time, but a bounty hunter tracks him down and disrupts his quiet life before also discovering a young man who appears to be Vision’s son. — Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026

That process took nearly a year, with the team developing the fit and hand alongside a denim specialist before selecting premium Candiani fabric from Italy and partnering with a manufacturer in Turkey. — Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2026

Adverb

The Covelli Centre, where Trump had rallied before, was a bit more than half-full when the president got onstage. — David Weigel, semafor.com, 14 Oct. 2026

The remains of over 50 people were discovered the day before at the funeral home in the 2900 block of East 95th Street. — Gregory Royal Pratt, Chicago Tribune, 14 Oct. 2026

Phrases Containing before

• before long