ahead
Americanadverb
-
in or to the front; in advance of; before.
Walk ahead of us.
-
in a forward direction; onward; forward.
The line of cars moved ahead slowly.
-
into or for the future.
Plan ahead.
-
so as to register a later time.
to set the clock ahead.
-
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.
-
onward toward success; to a more advantageous position; upward in station.
There's a young man who is sure to get ahead.
idioms
-
ahead of,
-
in front of; before.
He ran ahead of me.
-
superior to; beyond.
materially ahead of other countries.
-
in advance of; at an earlier time than.
We got there ahead of the other guests.
-
-
be ahead,
-
to be winning.
Our team is ahead by two runs.
-
to be in a position of advantage; be benefiting.
His score in mathematics is poor, but he's ahead in foreign languages.
-
adjective
adverb
-
at or in the front; in advance; before
-
onwards; forwards
go straight ahead
-
-
in front of; at a further advanced position than
-
stock exchange in anticipation of
the share price rose ahead of the annual figures
-
-
informal to have an advantage; be winning
to be ahead on points
-
to advance or attain success
Etymology
Origin of ahead
Explanation
When you're ahead, you're further along or further forward. If you're ahead of all the other runners in a race, you're winning. The team at the very front of a three-legged race is ahead, and the path that stretches in front of you as you walk through the woods is ahead of you. As well as signifying being physically first or in front, ahead can be used to talk about time: "She had her whole life ahead of her." The word was first used by sailors, to mean "in a forward direction."
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.
"In the UK anybody, literally anybody, is free to stand in an election, no matter how idiotic the get-up", he told AFP ahead of the 2024 London mayoral elections.
From Barron's ● Aug. 12, 2026
Masino spent weeks personally fighting the activist’s and critics’ efforts to oust her, meeting with investors ahead of a November proxy vote.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026
Both prosecutors and defence lawyers filed new documents on Monday in the Southern District of Florida federal court, ahead of the hearing on Thursday to decide whether they should be freed on bail.
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026
That was ahead of the FactSet consensus for $11.8 billion at the midpoint.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 11, 2026
The tortoise’s sleepy gaze was fixed ahead, and while there was no change in his dull expression, Clare did not think he imagined that the shell-dweller grew irritated.
From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman
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.
