before now

Part of Speech:

All (5) Adjective (1) Adverb (4)

Jump To:

beforehand adj.
earlier adv.
previously adv.
already adv.
formerly adv.

ADJECTIVE

beforehand

Synonyms

STRONGEST

earlier sooner

STRONG

ahead

WEAK

advanced ahead of time already ante antecedently before fore in advance in anticipation precedently precocious previous previously

ADVERB

earlier

Synonyms

STRONGEST

before previously

ADVERB

previously

Synonyms

STRONGEST

already formerly heretofore hitherto long ago once then

STRONG

antecedently

WEAK

a while ago ahead ante at one time away back back back when before beforehand erstwhile fore forward in advance in anticipation in days gone by in the past precedently time was until now

Antonyms

WEAK

currently future later presently

ADVERB

already

Synonyms

STRONGEST

before earlier once previously then

WEAK

as of now at present but now by now by that time by the time mentioned by then by this time even now formerly heretofore in the past just now now up to now

Antonyms

STRONGEST

later

ADVERB

formerly

Synonyms

STRONGEST

already earlier heretofore once

STRONG

erstwhile

WEAK

a while back aforetime anciently at one time away back back back when before before this down memory lane eons ago erewhile in former times in the olden days in the past lately long ago of old of yore olden days once upon a time radically some time ago time was used to be water under the bridge

Antonyms

WEAK

currently future presently subsequently

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.

See Examples For:

before now

All of this should have been thought about long before now, but I wasn’t privy to a lot of things.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 17, 2026

It is fair to ask why football's powerbrokers didn't step in before now.

From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2026

The agency and Secretary Kristi Noem had declined to answer questions about Ross before now.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 28, 2026

"The hymn was copied by children at school. It's unusual that such a popular text in its day was unknown to us before now," noted Jiménez.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 11, 2025

Was I too little, or too clueless, to notice before now?

From "A Place at the Table" by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

Get a word

before now

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Random Word

Related Words