before

Meaning

Prep

1. Earlier than (in time).
2. In front of in space.
3. In the presence of.
4. Under consideration, judgment, authority of (someone).
5. In store for, in the future of (someone).
6. In front of, according to a formal system of ordering items.
7. At a higher or greater position than, in a ranking.

Adv

1. (not-comparable) At an earlier time.
2. (literary, not-comparable, poetic) In advance in position or sequence; ahead.
3. (not-comparable, uncommon) At the front end.

Conj

1. In advance of the time when.
2. (informal) Rather or sooner than.

Noun

1. Of before-and-after images: the one that shows the difference before a specified treatment.
2. (often, poetic, uncommon) That which occurred or existed previously.
3. (rare) A previous form or instance.

Opposite of

after, later than, behind

Synonyms

in front of

previously

formerly

in front

first

1st

earlier

ahead

previous

ago

prior to

beforehand

previous to

until

prior

already

front

ahead of

till

earlier than

long ago

former

ere

by

in advance

in the past

toward

preceding

above

in ancient times

in the presence of

to

for

some time ago

once

in the old days

at first

facing

aforetime

since

on

🔛

towards

near

on the eve of

erst

sooner

supra

ahead of time

recently

than

past

Translations

avant

vor

prima

devant

antes

voor

bevor

antes de

vorher

auparavant

avant que

ante

delante

davanti

Pronounced as (IPA)

/bɪˈfɔː/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: before//bifore

Inherited from Old English: beforan

Cognate with Saterland Frisian: befoar

Cognate with German: bevor

In summary

Inherited from Middle English before /bifore, from Old English beforan, from be- + foran (“before”), from fore, from Proto-Germanic *furai, from Proto-Indo-European *per- (“front”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian befoar (“before”), German Low German bevör (“before”), German bevor (“before”).

Sentences

I never saw her before .

I never saw this thing before in my life .

" It has been a good game ," he says before he dies .

Putting the cart before the horse .

Drew had also sung as a boy soprano before his voice broke .

She really thinks we should prioritize our health and safety before worrying the finances .