during

American  

[door-ing, dyoor-] / ˈdʊər ɪŋ, ˈdjʊər- /

preposition

1. throughout the duration, continuance, or existence of.

   He lived in Florida during the winter.

2. at some time or point in the course of.

   They departed during the night.

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during British  

/ ˈdjʊərɪŋ /

preposition

1. concurrently with (some other activity)

   kindly don't sleep during my lectures!

2. within the limit of (a period of time)

   during the day

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Usage

What does during mean? During means throughout the entire time or at a certain point in time when something was happening. During is a preposition, which is a type of word used before a noun or pronoun to relate it to another part of the sentence, especially to express a relationship based on space or time. During expresses a relationship based on time—it indicates that something happened not before or after something else, but at the same time. It can mean that something occurred continuously while something else was happening, as in We stayed inside during the storm. Or it can mean that something occurred at a certain time or times while something else was happening, as in I only left the house once during the storm. When used in a sentence, during is usually followed by a noun or pronoun that indicates the time frame or event in which the action has taken place, as in during our vacation or during Spanish class or during the game. Example: I hate how hot it gets during the summer.

Etymology

Origin of during

First recorded in 1350–1400; dure ² + -ing ²

Example Sentences

During the main event on Sunday evening, every fighter walked from the White House down to the octagon flanked by an honor guard of two “American Heroes.”

From Slate • Jun. 16, 2026

During the process, they gradually remove fluorine atoms, breaking the compounds into smaller substances that are less persistent in the environment.

From Science Daily • Jun. 16, 2026

During the same Mexico–South Africa match, while Fox aired its full-screen ad, Telemundo kept players on camera, let its commentators share their thoughts, and ran a Lays ad in the corner of the screen.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 16, 2026

"During sustained offensive operations and pressure mounted on the criminal elements, troops made contact with the bandits... leading to the successful recovery of Mrs Abubakar," said Samaila Uba, the director of defence information.

From BBC • Jun. 16, 2026

During the meal, Lady Constance made bright, careless remarks about shopping and the weather, and the admiral told manly tales of exploration and danger in distant lands.

From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood