during

[door-ing, dyoor-]

preposition

1. throughout the duration, continuance, or existence of.

   He lived in Florida during the winter.

2. at some time or point in the course of.

   They departed during the night.

during

/ ˈdjʊərɪŋ /

preposition

1. concurrently with (some other activity)

   kindly don't sleep during my lectures!

2. within the limit of (a period of time)

   during the day

Word History and Origins

Origin of during¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; dure ² + -ing ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of during¹

C14: from duren to last, ultimately from Latin dūrāre to last

Example Sentences

Eight of the arrests occurred during the evening chaos, while seven were made earlier that day.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Katrina Thompson, mayor of Broadview, lived in Los Angeles during the Rodney King riots.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

And though I found it less charming than I remembered, I still wept during the unforgettable third act, when Candy’s obnoxious shower ring salesman, Del Griffith, finally stops his relentless chatter to admit just how lonely he is.

Read more on Salon

Just before Candy’s fifth birthday, his father died of complications with heart disease, a sudden event that was largely swept under the rug by Candy’s family during his childhood.

Read more on Salon

Perhaps it’s because two of Candy’s memorable performances are from films that take place during the holiday season, but just watching “I Like Me” feels warm in the way that a joyful winter holiday does.

Read more on Salon

When To Use

What does during mean?

During means throughout the entire time or at a certain point in time when something was happening.During is a preposition, which is a type of word used before a noun or pronoun to relate it to another part of the sentence, especially to express a relationship based on space or time. During expresses a relationship based on time—it indicates that something happened not before or after something else, but at the same time.It can mean that something occurred continuously while something else was happening, as in We stayed inside during the storm. Or it can mean that something occurred at a certain time or times while something else was happening, as in I only left the house once during the storm. When used in a sentence, during is usually followed by a noun or pronoun that indicates the time frame or event in which the action has taken place, as in during our vacation or during Spanish class or during the game.Example: I hate how hot it gets during the summer.