get ahead
Britishverb
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to be successful; prosper
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(foll by of) to surpass or excel
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Succeed or make progress, especially in one's career or in society. For example, She put in many hours of overtime in order to get ahead . [c. 1800]
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Save a little money, as in After we settle the hospital bill, we hope to get ahead enough to buy a new car .
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get ahead of . Move in front of, as in I got ahead of her in line .
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get ahead of . Outdo, surpass, as in We were determined to get ahead of the competition . Also see ahead of the game .
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
One of the things I have always loved about “Bob’s Burgers” is the bittersweet certainty that the Belchers may get ahead, but never by very much.
From Salon ● Aug. 27, 2026
Residents of Tehran reported long lines to buy gasoline on Tuesday as people rushed to get ahead of limited supplies, a declining currency and the threat of further sanctions.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026
Its founder, Lara Newman, has worked in construction, property and the built environment industry for more than 30 years, and says she changed her own accent to get ahead in the workplace.
From BBC ● Aug. 23, 2026
That’s not to say he wasn’t trying to get ahead in other ways.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 23, 2026
Mr. Powell was trying to get ahead on his cataloging so that Mrs. Merriam wouldn’t fuss at him, and Lil was speeding ahead on Jane Eyre.
From "Okay for Now" by Gary D. Schmidt
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
