before 1 of 2

1
as in to
earlier than since I'm a faster runner, I got there before him

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in against
preceding in space the children always insisted on running before their parents

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

before

2 of 2

adverb

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of before
Preposition
Rachel and Leanne Pace, north of Kansas City: $1,150 total Tickets: Three-day pass was $98 per person before this weekend. Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 23 Mar. 2025 Disney spent above $250 million on the tentpole before marketing expenses, so the family film needs to stick around in global cinemas to justify its price tag. Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 23 Mar. 2025 Much of Gladys’s ride was through mountains, on roads that were little more than cattle trails, or on rough corduroy used by heavy logging wagons (this was long before the day of logging trucks) with crude pole bridges. Ben East, Outdoor Life, 14 Mar. 2025 And that’s even before Brian Flynn, long-time Burnley resident and legendary former Wrexham manager who effectively rebuilt the club in the 1990s, pops up to say hello. Richard Sutcliffe, The Athletic, 14 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for before
Recent Examples of Synonyms for before
Preposition
  • This led them to a 34-4 record, with three of the four losses being of Quadrant One quality.
    Tyler Small, Forbes.com, 1 Apr. 2025
  • New research found that every hour of screen time in bed is linked to 24 fewer minutes of sleep and a 59% higher risk of insomnia.
    Simon Spichak, Health, 1 Apr. 2025
Preposition
  • The Manhattan Federal Court case was brought by NBA legend Charles Oakley against the Madison Square Garden business empire over a dispute that ended with Oakley’s ejection from the Midtown arena during a 2017 Knicks game.
    Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 2 Apr. 2025
  • The firm also represented former Georgia election workers Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss in their lawsuit against Trump ally Rudy Giuliani.
    Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 1 Apr. 2025
Adverb
  • What To Know Tesla operates in several Middle Eastern countries already, including the United Arab Emirates, Israel, Jordan, and Qatar, but Saudi Arabia is the largest market in the Gulf region.
    Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Mar. 2025
  • The vice president had already offended Europe in several ways before the release of these messages.
    New York Times, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2025
Preposition
  • Hoever, on stage, he's stepped into the shoes of Morrow — the role that earned David Strathairn a 2006 Oscar nomination.
    Dave Quinn, People.com, 4 Apr. 2025
  • Fallout continues after President Donald Trump's unveiling of severe tariffs against virtually all U.S. trading partners.
    Alexandra Hutzler, ABC News, 4 Apr. 2025
Adverb
  • Boyle shared a full second trailer exclusively with the exhibitors, which significantly ratchets up the terror from a teaser shared earlier this year.
    Matt Donnelly, Variety, 1 Apr. 2025
  • In Florida, Republican Senator Jonathan Martin introduced Senate Bill 852 after Governor Ron DeSantis expressed on X earlier this year his support for eliminating property taxes entirely.
    Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Before.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/before. Accessed 7 Apr. 2025.

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