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Synonyms

ahead

American  
[uh-hed] / əˈhɛd /

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.

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.
ahead British  
/ 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

    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. informal to have an advantage; be winning

    to be ahead on points

  5. 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
ahead More Idioms  

    More idioms and phrases containing ahead

Etymology

Origin of ahead

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

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The CEO, a Nike veteran who came out of retirement to take the top job in October 2024, has called China “the longest road ahead” in the company’s efforts to revive growth.

From The Wall Street Journal

The event felt poorly organized and vendors received little communication ahead of the convention that only dwindled as the weekend went on, she said.

From Los Angeles Times

"A huge congratulations to the whole group; we wish them many more happy memories ahead," said Andy Carter, from Allwyn, operator of The National Lottery.

From BBC

Looking ahead: “February’s numbers got a lift from tax refunds, so the consumer was healthy going into the oil spike,” said David Russell, global head of market strategy at TradeStation.

From MarketWatch

Labor-market growth concentrated in few industries, and further impact from the oil shock could lie ahead.

From The Wall Street Journal

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.