by-and-by 1 of 2

Definition of by-and-bynext
as in future
time that is to come we shall meet again in the by-and-by

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

by and by

2 of 2

adverb

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 by-and-by
Adverb
The character giving that agonizing scream on the dragon, by and by, is Lady Baela Targaryen (Bethany Antonia). James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Dec. 2023 But nemesis haunts every heroic age and, by and by, this good court would succumb to the corrupting influence of lesser men. Ian MacDougall, Harper's Magazine, 12 Sep. 2022 The red oak leaves were staying put, by and by, of course. Bob Timmons, Star Tribune, 16 Oct. 2020 The previous GoT prequel project starring Naomi Watts, by and by, shot a pilot in Northern Ireland before HBO decided not to move forward with that one. James Hibberd, EW.com, 14 Oct. 2020 Those numbers are going to get better, by and by. Byron McCauley, The Enquirer, 12 Aug. 2020 But by and by he allows himself to be coaxed into the fold. Michael Friedrich, The New Republic, 24 May 2018 Robert Frost would not gaze off into the snowy world, telling this tale with a sigh, by and by, not yet. Mary O’Connell , Longreads, 18 Sep. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for by-and-by
Noun
  • The backstory Capella Kyoto is inextricably linked to its immediate community, both past and future.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Mar. 2026
  • Winger Guro Reiten will have had her Chelsea future in the back of her mind this season, knowing her contract was expiring in the summer.
    Karen Carney, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2026
Adverb
  • In 2006, the court reversed a decision that had struck down a state voter ID law shortly before the election, ruling that judges shouldn't change procedures too close to voting.
    ABC News, ABC News, 24 Mar. 2026
  • But a full medical workup wasn’t completed until shortly before Stevenson’s tryouts last year, when an MRI revealed that surgery was needed.
    Steve Reaven, Chicago Tribune, 23 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The list will be published tomorrow.
    Kathleen Saxe, Mercury News, 23 Mar. 2026
  • Death of a Diplomat – initially titled Death on the Island – is among the 15 projects selected for the annual Series Mania Co-Pro Pitching Sessions tomorrow (March 24) in Lille, France.
    Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 23 Mar. 2026
Adverb
  • Tillis said Trump has latitude under the War Powers Act to conduct the military campaign, but that will soon shift.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 22 Mar. 2026
  • The deeper the water, the sooner a vehicle loses traction on the road.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 22 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Established in 2023, the biennial prize is given in recognition of next-gen multidisciplinary artists working at the intersection of art, media, and technology to explore notions of futurity and transformation.
    News Desk, Artforum, 4 Nov. 2025
  • This reading list offers resources for engaging with Indigenous thought, resistance, and futurity.
    JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 11 Oct. 2025
Adverb
  • But before long, the conversation moved in a different direction as Kent nodded to conspiracy theories that pro-Israel forces were behind the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
    ABC News, ABC News, 19 Mar. 2026
  • But before long, the disparate group becomes like a family.
    Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 9 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“By-and-by.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/by-and-by. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.

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