beforehand
Americanadverb
adjective
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
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 pair took their first flights just days beforehand.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 6, 2026
With legal principles agreed to beforehand and decisions neatly logged, this new way of doing government would save years in court time and appeals.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026
Instead, they learned only two separate things beforehand: that the blue flower provided a reward and that the ball was a movable, harmless object.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 3, 2026
Last July, 9,000 workers were laid off, and two months beforehand, 6,000 others were made redundant, according to a tally by BBC News.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 1, 2026
Nothing has been rehearsed or explained to them beforehand.
From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri
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.
