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

While flows through the strait have fallen sharply during the conflict, some crude and oil products are still getting out with help from the U.S.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026

The findings provide a more detailed picture of how single-atom catalysts operate during biomass conversion.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 25, 2026

His parents said the money donated so far had supported them "financially to cover immediate costs such as our bills and mortgage", and to "cover our loss of wages during this time".

From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026

Whether or not you do a Roth conversion in your 80s will also be dictated by your deductions and advice from the aforementioned CFP on what taxes you will pay during your “conversion window.”

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 25, 2026

Poor Tall Tailless could hardly smell or hear at all, and during the Dark he liked to stare at the Bright Beast-that-Bites-Hot.

From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver