Definitions

before

[bih-fawr, -fohr] / bɪˈfɔr, -ˈfoʊr /

ADVERB

earlier

Synonyms

STRONGEST

ahead back previously since sooner

WEAK

afore aforetime ante antecedently anteriorly before present ere fore former formerly forward heretofore in advance in days of yore in front in the old days in the past past precendently previous up to now

Antonyms

WEAK

after afterward behind later

PREPOSITION

earlier than

Synonyms

STRONGEST

since

WEAK

ahead of ante antecedent to anterior to ere in advance of in front of preceding previous to prior to

Antonyms

WEAK

after afterward behind later

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.

Posting on his Instagram story the night before, he said: "Ipswich! 9am tomorrow at the waterfront, see you there x."

From BBC • Jun. 11, 2026

Woodman rang the bell on the Nasdaq trading floor, and the company touted its products as a way to enable "people to capture their life's passions in ways they could have never done before."

From Barron's • Jun. 11, 2026

The data leak had gone unnoticed for months before Coupang detected it in November, according to South Korean authorities and lawmakers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 11, 2026

"The kids had been playing with some toys the night before and they were just floating about," she says.

From BBC • Jun. 11, 2026

I’ll grab coffee with fellow classical musicians; we’ll exchange tips on how to avoid nerves before an upcoming performance.

From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold

before

Example Sentences

Related Words