before

American  

[bih-fawr, -fohr] / bɪˈfɔr, -ˈfoʊr /

preposition

1. previous to; earlier or sooner than.

   Phone me before noon.

2. in front of; ahead of; in advance of.

   his shadow advancing before him;

   She stood before the window.

3. ahead of; in the future of; awaiting.

   The golden age is before us.

4. in preference to; rather than.

   They would die before surrendering.

5. in precedence of, as in order or rank.

   We put freedom before wealth.

6. in the presence or sight of: to appear before an audience.

7. less than; until: used in indicating the exact time.

   It's ten before three.

8. under the jurisdiction or consideration of.

   He was summoned before a magistrate.

9. confronted by; in the face of.

   Before such wild accusations, he was too stunned to reply.

10. in the regard of.

    a crime before God and humanity.

11. under the overwhelming influence of.

    bending before the storm.

12. without figuring or deducting.

    income before deductions.

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adverb

1. in front; in advance; ahead.

   The king entered with macebearers walking before.

   Antonyms:

   behind, after

2. in time preceding; previously.

   If we'd known before, we'd have let you know.

   Antonyms:

   subsequently, afterward

3. earlier or sooner.

   Begin at noon, not before.

   Antonyms:

   later

conjunction

1. previous to the time when.

   Send the telegram before we go.

2. sooner than; rather than.

   I will die before I submit.

before British  

/ bɪˈfɔː /

conjunction

1. earlier than the time when

2. rather than

   he'll resign before he agrees to it

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preposition

1. preceding in space or time; in front of; ahead of

   standing before the altar

2. when confronted by

   to withdraw before one's enemies

3. in the presence of

   to be brought before a judge

4. in preference to

   to put friendship before money

adverb

1. at an earlier time; previously; beforehand; in front

before Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing before

• cart before the horse
• cast pearls before swine
• look before you leap

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Etymology

Origin of before

First recorded before 1000; Middle English beforen, Old English beforan, equivalent to be by + foran “before” ( fore fore ¹ + -an adverb suffix)

Explanation

When one thing precedes another, it comes before. You put your socks on before your shoes, you close the door before you lock it, and you should make sure the store is open before you leave home. The word before comes from the Old English beforan, meaning “in front of” or “in former times.” Before tells when something happens — don’t hire that guy before you check his references — or the position of something: the library is the last building before the intersection. In "before and after" pictures, the "before" ones were taken prior to the makeover, renovation, and so on, while the "after" photos show the improvement.

Example Sentences

This represents a 26% premium to PTSB’s closing price the day before the formal sale process was announced in late October.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

The city repaired 310 miles of road in fiscal year 2025, which ended in June — a nosedive from the 850 miles it paved a decade before in 2015, according to Crosstown.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026

Marie-Thérèse hired a lawyer, but was arrested by ICE the day before a scheduled hearing.

From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026

"It feels like nothing we've ever made," Rothman said at the Colosseum Theater in Las Vegas, before introducing lead actor Holland, who joined virtually.

From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026

“And the best part is that it’ll allow me to earn a credit or two toward my BA before I even finish high school.”

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

Related Words

• ahead
• back
• previously
• since
• sooner