Before
Definition, Meaning & Examples
Pronunciation /bɪˈfɔː/ · Part of speech preposition
Quick meaning: Before is a preposition meaning Earlier than (in time).
Meaning
Earlier than (in time).
More Meanings
- In front of in space.
- In the presence of.
- Under consideration, judgment, authority of (someone).
- In store for, in the future of (someone).
- In front of, according to a formal system of ordering items.
- At a higher or greater position than, in a ranking.
- At an earlier time.
Example Sentences
He stood before me.
I want this done before Monday.
We sat before the fire to warm ourselves.
He performed before the troops in North Africa.
Word Forms
- befo
- befores
Synonyms for before
Depending on context, synonyms include by, ere, previously, ahead, earlier.
Antonyms for before
Common opposites include after, behind.
Related Words
Related dictionary entries include earlier, ahead, afore, beforehand, previously, fore.
Related Dictionary Tools
Practice “before” in a Crossword
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Sources & Attribution
FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0
Dictionary data is provided by FreeDictionaryAPI.com and sourced from Wiktionary under its stated license.