during

American  

[door-ing, dyoor-] / ˈdʊər ɪŋ, ˈdjʊər- /

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.

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during British  

/ 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

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Usage

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.

Etymology

Origin of during

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

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

during

A lawsuit that accused an Orange County Board of Education trustee of choking and attacking a neighbor during a road rage incident has been dismissed, court records show.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026

Mullin said the officers identified themselves and were wearing body-worn cameras that were turned on during the incident.

From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026

Weaving together material adapted from several ancient Greek sources, Ferdia Lennon’s novel is a tragicomic reimagining of the experience of Athenian prisoners captured during the disastrous Sicilian Expedition of 415-13 B.C.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026

The subsidy system first began to show cracks during the so-called Special Period in the early 1990s.

From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026

“Success is counted sweetest” was one of the few poems that was published during her lifetime, but only anonymously, and no one knows if she gave permission.

From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison