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

The uptick in home buyers started during the pandemic, when low interest rates drew capital into the residential market, driving up prices and helping renovation projects pencil out.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026

“That might have been another reason why I said, ‘I want to do this,’” Chandler says during a recent interview.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 2026

Geely sold 1.42 million vehicles during the period, up about 1% from a year earlier, supported by a more than doubling in overseas deliveries to 474,288 units.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026

The exercises were again scaled back in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic.

From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026

Any lingering resentment I might have still been harboring against Marlene vanished during that first night in the woodshed.

From "An Elephant in the Garden" by Michael Morpurgo