Synonyms

beforehand

American

[bih-fawr-hand, -fohr-] / bɪˈfɔrˌhænd, -ˈfoʊr- /

adverb

in anticipation; in advance; ahead of time.

We should have made reservations beforehand. I hope to be beforehand with my report.

beforehand British

/ bɪˈfɔːˌhænd /

adjective

early; in advance; in anticipation

she came an hour beforehand

"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

Etymology

Origin of beforehand

First recorded in 1175–1225, beforehand is from the Middle English word bifor-hand. See before, hand

Vocabulary lists containing beforehand

"The River-Merchant's Wife: A Letter" by Ezra Pound

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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.

Unlike earlier methods, scientists did not need to choose specific regions to study beforehand.

From Science Daily • May 23, 2026

“They showed it to everybody in D.C. at least a month beforehand, and they aired every concern, every question.”

From MarketWatch • May 21, 2026

According to news reports, the people who first got sick had been touring Argentina and Chile for months beforehand.

From Salon • May 9, 2026

It changed her view of the school, which she wasn’t seriously considering beforehand.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026

It was like landing in a wild place; I’m glad I hadn’t seen the condition of the runways beforehand.

From "How I Live Now" by Meg Rosoff

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