get ahead

British  

verb

1. to be successful; prosper

2. (foll by of) to surpass or excel

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get ahead Idioms  

1. 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]

2. Save a little money, as in After we settle the hospital bill, we hope to get ahead enough to buy a new car .

3. get ahead of . Move in front of, as in I got ahead of her in line .

4. get ahead of . Outdo, surpass, as in We were determined to get ahead of the competition . Also see ahead of the game .

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

get ahead

Still, it’s not likely that the utility is going to be able to get ahead of the upgrades that are needed, experts say.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 25, 2026

"If fabricated studies make their way into the evidence base, they can mislead real scientists and ultimately slow progress for patients. That's why it's vital we get ahead of this problem."

From Science Daily ● Jul. 16, 2026

If the mythos of the American dream is to work hard and get ahead, it’s being eclipsed for some by the dream of not having to work at all.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026

Unlike younger adults who may want to lose weight in order to look better or to get ahead of obesity-related conditions that could lead to decades of poor health, older people often have different priorities.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 25, 2026

I stopped wetting the labels, not wanting to get ahead of her.

From "The Secret Life of Bees" by Sue Monk Kidd