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

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.

He showed it to Altman beforehand, who declared it “tough but fair.”

From The Wall Street Journal

People who placed the flurry of futures trades beforehand likely pocketed tens of millions of dollars, according to calculations by a market operator for AFP.

From Barron's

When Schilling revealed her illness in 2023, she said she developed severe stomach cramps a few months beforehand and was initially told she had constipation.

From BBC

The festival comes with many traditions, including deep-cleaning the house beforehand to sweep away the old year's misfortunes and welcome a fresh start.

From BBC

"They gather the information beforehand to be more targeted," he said.

From BBC

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