Advertisement

Advertisement

View synonyms for ahead

ahead

[ uh-hed ]

adverb

  1. in or to the front; in advance of; before:

    Walk ahead of us.

  2. in a forward direction; onward; forward:

    The line of cars moved ahead slowly.

  3. into or for the future:

    Plan ahead.

  4. so as to register a later time:

    to set the clock ahead.

  5. at or to a different time, either earlier or later:

    to push a deadline ahead one day from Tuesday to Monday; to push a deadline ahead one day from Tuesday to Wednesday.

  6. onward toward success; to a more advantageous position; upward in station:

    There's a young man who is sure to get ahead.



ahead

/ əˈhɛd /

adjective

  1. postpositive in front; in advance
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


adverb

  1. at or in the front; in advance; before
  2. onwards; forwards

    go straight ahead

  3. ahead of
    1. in front of; at a further advanced position than
    2. stock exchange in anticipation of

      the share price rose ahead of the annual figures

  4. be ahead informal.
    to have an advantage; be winning

    to be ahead on points

  5. get ahead
    to advance or attain success
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of ahead1

First recorded in 1590–1600; a- 1 + head
Discover More

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms
  1. ahead of,
    1. in front of; before:

      He ran ahead of me.

    2. superior to; beyond:

      materially ahead of other countries.

    3. in advance of; at an earlier time than:

      We got there ahead of the other guests.

  2. be ahead,
    1. to be winning:

      Our team is ahead by two runs.

    2. to be in a position of advantage; be benefiting:

      His score in mathematics is poor, but he's ahead in foreign languages.

More idioms and phrases containing ahead

  • come out ahead
  • dead ahead
  • full speed ahead
  • get ahead
  • go ahead
  • one jump ahead
  • quit while one's ahead
Discover More

Example Sentences

Having spent her career behind the scenes, she acknowledges fear about what is ahead for her.

It’s right in that vicinity either before or just shortly after, which is years ahead of schedule.

McCarthy has made clear his concerns that it would only backfire by giving vulnerable Democrats a chance to separate themselves from Pelosi just ahead of an election where she’s unpopular in some of the GOP-leaning districts they represent.

She said in an interview that she would be skeptical of any vaccine produced ahead of the election because of worries its release was due to political pressure.

To solve this problem, Insider has been ramping up its first-party data platform Sága ahead of the full decimation of third-party cookies.

From Digiday

In secret, before the referendum, the council went ahead and fluoridated the water anyway.

Bush busy engaging constituents on both sides of the same-sex marriage debate ahead of the 2004 presidential election.

They let us get ahead of the outfit, then the rest of the guys came in.

Everything was moving ahead smoothly, and continued to for the rest of the year.

But in the days ahead he, his brother, and the others will be back in the street while their families worry at home.

Suddenly, however, he became aware of a small black spot far ahead in the very middle of the unencumbered track.

The thought seemed to produce the dreaded object, for next moment a large hummock appeared right ahead.

But there was no shadow ahead of him this night; there was no somber thing to bend down the high serenity of his happy heart.

Neither of us spoke again, and at length the squat log buildings of Pend d' Oreille loomed ahead of us in the night.

I've been sailing one way for ever so long, because I don't know how to turn around; but there's a landing-place just ahead.

Advertisement

Related Words

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement


AHEahead of one's time