ahead

adverb or adjective

1
a
: in a forward direction or position : forward
b
: in front
2
: in, into, or for the future
plan ahead
3
: in or toward a more advantageous position
helped others to get ahead
4
: at or to an earlier time : in advance
make payments ahead
5
a
: in or into a leading position in a race or competition
a politician who is running ahead in most polls
Josh Carter scored from a yard out and the Pride added a two-point conversion to surge ahead 14-7.Cumberland (Maryland) Times-News
b baseball
(1)
of a pitcher : in or into the situation of having thrown more strikes than balls to a batter
Home run threat Mark Reynolds was up next with the bases loaded, but Colon quickly got ahead 1-2 in the count and struck the third baseman out swinging with a … fastball.Ray Monell
(2)
of a batter : in or into the situation of having a count of more balls than strikes
Albert Pujols got ahead 3-1 and then lined one into the seats in left for his 20th home run of the year and second of the series.John Fay

Examples of ahead in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The Australian Government has detailed its top business trends for 2024, highlighting the focus areas for those businesses looking to get and stay ahead. Kansas City Star, 26 Mar. 2024 So people went ahead and bought homes there, even though Rio Verde Foothills lies beyond the reach of Scottsdale’s pipe systems, and the groundwater isn’t plentiful enough for all residents to access wells. Daniel Rothberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 Mar. 2024 Pope has a murky road ahead with regulators, investors, and customers in reshaping the company’s culture and then proving to the world that people can trust it. Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 26 Mar. 2024 Since these tables are first-come, first-serve, many people order fresh Mahi Mahi or local shrimp tacos ahead to enjoy from their charter boats. Claire Volkman, Robb Report, 26 Mar. 2024 But there are many unanswered questions regarding what might lay ahead for Combs. Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 26 Mar. 2024 Plan ahead:Indiana interstates will likely be packed on eclipse day. Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 25 Mar. 2024 New York City officials are moving ahead with a contentious plan to give migrant families debit cards for food and baby supplies, with the first cards being distributed on Monday to a small handful of new arrivals. Emma G. Fitzsimmons, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2024 But that number will probably be surpassed in the days and weeks ahead. Ian Livingston, Washington Post, 14 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ahead.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1568, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of ahead was in 1568

Dictionary Entries Near ahead

Cite this Entry

“Ahead.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ahead. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

ahead

adverb or adjective
1
: in or toward the front
the road ahead
go ahead
2
: in, into, or for the future
think ahead
3
: in or toward a better position
came out $20 ahead on the deal
4
: at or to an earlier time : in advance
make payments ahead

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!