ahead

adverb or adjective

1
a
: in a forward direction or position : forward
b
: in front
2
: in, into, or for the future
plan ahead
3
: in or toward a more advantageous position
helped others to get ahead
4
: at or to an earlier time : in advance
make payments ahead
5
a
: in or into a leading position in a race or competition
a politician who is running ahead in most polls
Josh Carter scored from a yard out and the Pride added a two-point conversion to surge ahead 14-7.Cumberland (Maryland) Times-News
b baseball
(1)
of a pitcher : in or into the situation of having thrown more strikes than balls to a batter
Home run threat Mark Reynolds was up next with the bases loaded, but Colon quickly got ahead 1-2 in the count and struck the third baseman out swinging with a … fastball.Ray Monell
(2)
of a batter : in or into the situation of having a count of more balls than strikes
Albert Pujols got ahead 3-1 and then lined one into the seats in left for his 20th home run of the year and second of the series.John Fay

Examples of ahead in a Sentence

call ahead for reservations sent me ahead to get a place in the check-out line while she went to get the eggs and milk the line moved ahead at a snail's pace
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
The disparity springs from Wisconsin, where the other three sites have Harris ahead and DDHQ has Trump up. Niall Stanage, The Hill, 2 Nov. 2024 Little has changed when the film skips ahead a few years. Guy Lodge, Variety, 2 Nov. 2024 Perhaps some of the specifics could change in the weeks ahead, but all signs are pointing toward a massive and highly anticipated WarGames clash that could rank as one of the most important matches in the long and storied history of The Bloodline. Blake Oestriecher, Forbes, 2 Nov. 2024 If roasting your own beets, they can be cooked up to one week ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container. Julia Levy, Southern Living, 2 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for ahead 

Word History

First Known Use

1568, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of ahead was in 1568

Dictionary Entries Near ahead

Cite this Entry

“Ahead.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ahead. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

ahead

adverb or adjective
1
: in or toward the front
the road ahead
go ahead
2
: in, into, or for the future
think ahead
3
: in or toward a better position
came out $20 ahead on the deal
4
: at or to an earlier time : in advance
make payments ahead

More from Merriam-Webster on ahead

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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