behind

[ bih-hahynd ]

/ bɪˈhaɪnd /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR behind ON THESAURUS.COM

preposition

at or toward the rear of: Look behind the house.

not keeping up with, later than; after: behind schedule.

in the state of making less progress than: We can't afford to fall behind our competitors.

on the farther side of; beyond: behind the mountain.

originating, supporting, or promoting: Who's behind this program?

hidden or unrevealed by: Malice lay behind her smile.

at the controls of: behind the wheel of a car.

adverb

at or toward the rear; rearward: to lag behind.

in a place, state, or stage already passed.

in arrears; behindhand: to be behind in one's rent.

slow, as a watch or clock: more than 20 minutes behind.

as a cause or often latent feature of: Behind their harassment lay the traditional fear of foreigners.

in a situation that exists afterward: The victim left behind a large family.

Archaic. in reserve; to come: Greater support is yet behind.

adjective

following: the man behind.

noun

Informal. the buttocks.

Nearby words

beheld, behemoth, behenic, behenic acid, behest, behind, behind bars, behind closed doors, behind in, behind someone's back, behind the eight ball

Origin of behind

before 900; Middle English behinde(n), Old English behindan; for adv. suffix -an cf. before. See be-, hind¹

Synonym study

1, 2. Behind, after both refer to a position following something else. Behind applies primarily to position in space, and suggests that one person or thing is at the back of another; it may also refer to (a fixed) time: He stood behind the chair. You are behind the appointed time. After applies primarily to time; when it denotes position in space, it is not used with precision, and refers usually to bodies in motion: Rest after a hard day's work. They entered the room, one after another.

Usage note

See back¹.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for behind

Prosecutors wanted him to spend at least 10 years behind bars.
Abramoff’s Advice for Virginia’s New Jailhouse Guv|Tim Mak, Jackie Kucinich|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
He later accepted a plea deal that put him behind bars for 25 years.
An Informant, a Missing American, and Juarez’s House of Death: Inside the 12-Year Cold Case of David Castro|Bill Conroy|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
He finished second in 2008 behind John McCain, and maintains a reservoir of good will among Republican social conservatives.
Can Huckabee Convert the GOP’s Moneymen?|Lloyd Green|January 4, 2015|DAILY BEAST
American spies have detailed dossiers on the North Koreans who the U.S. says were behind the Sony attack.
U.S. Spies Say They Tracked ‘Sony Hackers’ For Years|Shane Harris|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST

Finally, he takes us behind the scenes into how Obama came out in favor of marriage equality that same year.
The Real Story Behind the Fight for Marriage Equality|E.J. Graff|December 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It has no power, but perhaps you could tow it behind your launch.
Roy Blakeley|Percy Keese Fitzhugh
The girl who watched them breathlessly from behind the roses clutched her hands over her heart.
Pretty Madcap Dorothy|Laura Jean Libbey
They had not gone more than a dozen yards when a shot rang out from behind a tree, and a bullet whizzed past over their heads.
Linda Carlton's Island Adventure|Edith Lavell
But Jeanne Rouanns, now standing just behind him, remained silent.
The Red Cross Barge|Marie Belloc Lowndes
They continued on their way, with the second company just behind them.
In The Saddle|Oliver Optic

British Dictionary definitions for behind

behind

/ (bɪˈhaɪnd) /

preposition

in or to a position further back than; at the rear of; at the back of

in the past in relation toI've got the exams behind me now

late according to; not keeping up withrunning behind schedule

concerning the circumstances surroundingthe reasons behind his departure

backing or supportingI'm right behind you in your application

adverb

in or to a position further back; following

remaining after someone's departurehe left it behind

in debt; in arrearsto fall behind with payments

adjective

(postpositive) in a position further back; retardedthe man behind prodded me

noun

informal the buttocks

Australian rules football a score of one point made by kicking the ball over the behind line between a goalpost and one of the smaller outer posts (behind posts)

Word Origin for behind

Old English behindan

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

Idioms and Phrases with behind

behind

In addition to the idioms beginning with behind

behind bars
behind closed doors
behind in
behind someone's back
behind the eight ball
behind the scenes
behind the times
behind time

also see:

come from behind
drop behind
fall behind
get behind
power behind the throne
put behind one
wet behind the ears
with one arm tied behind one's back

behind

preposition

adverb

adjective

noun

RELATED CONTENT

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of behind

Synonym study

Usage note

Examples from the Web for behind

British Dictionary definitions for behind

behind

preposition

adverb

adjective

noun

Word Origin for behind

Idioms and Phrases with behind

behind