Phrase guide

ahead of time

prep_phrase · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

prep_phrase

Meaning 1

Prior to an expected or scheduled time; early.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • He navigated the course adeptly, having trained on it for months ahead of time.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adverb

Meaning 2

before the usual time or the time expected

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • she graduated early
  • the house was completed ahead of time

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: early, too soon

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

10 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: etuajassa — early
  • Finnish: ennen aikojaan — early
  • Finnish: etukäteen — early
  • Finnish: ennalta — early
  • French: à l'avance — early
  • German: frühzeitig — early
  • German: vorzeitig — early
  • Plautdietsch: verut — early
  • Polish: z wyprzedzeniem — early
  • Polish: zawczasu — early