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adverb British English pronunciation: ahead /əˈhed/
Ahead is used in the following ways:
as an adverb: I could see the end of the tunnel ahead.
in the preposition phrase ahead of: We have some difficult problems ahead of us.
 
  1. 1
    in front of someone
    1. a.
      used for saying that something is in front of you, in the direction you are going or looking

      There’s a motel just a few miles ahead.

      His attention was firmly fixed on the road ahead.

      ahead of:

      The car ahead of us stopped suddenly.

      up ahead (=not far in front):

      We’re nearly there! That’s the place up ahead.

      Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  aheadThesaurus entry for this meaning of ahead
    2. b.
      moving, pointing, or looking towards a place in front of you

      Francesca was staring ahead into the darkness.

      straight ahead:

      Instead of turning left, he drove straight ahead towards the river.

      Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  aheadThesaurus entry for this meaning of ahead
    3. c.
      moving in front of someone and in the same direction

      She walked ahead of him along the corridor.

      Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  aheadThesaurus entry for this meaning of ahead
  2. 2
    used when saying what will happen in the future
    ahead of:

    We have a busy day ahead of us.

    a young woman with a brilliant career ahead of her

    days/weeks/years etc ahead:

    Where will the money come from in the years ahead?

    the way ahead (=the way that things will happen or be done in the future):

    New technology points the way ahead for our steel industry.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  aheadThesaurus entry for this meaning of ahead
    See also  lie ahead
  3. 3
    before
    1. a.
      before a time or event

      The event had been planned six months ahead.

      ahead of time:

      If you had warned me ahead of time, I wouldn’t have gone.

      ahead of:

      There will be an inspection of the track ahead of tomorrow’s race.

      Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  aheadThesaurus entry for this meaning of ahead
    2. b.
      starting to go somewhere a little before someone and arriving there before them

      You go on ahead and tell them we’re coming.

      I’ll send my luggage on ahead.

      Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  aheadThesaurus entry for this meaning of ahead
    3. c.
      used for saying how much earlier the clocks in one place show a particular time than in another

      Moscow is three hours ahead of London.

      Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  aheadThesaurus entry for this meaning of ahead
    4. d.
      used for saying that someone finishes a race before someone else
      ahead of:

      David finished ahead of me in last year’s race.

      Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  aheadThesaurus entry for this meaning of ahead
  4. 4
    having made more progress
    1. a.
      used for saying that someone has made more progress than someone else, or more progress than expected

      Some of these children are two years ahead in reading skills.

      The Russians were now ahead of them in space research.

      Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  aheadThesaurus entry for this meaning of ahead
    2. b.
      used for saying that a particular idea, product, invention etc is more advanced than others

      The technology was far ahead of anything available in the West.

      ahead of someone’s/something’s time (=too modern to be accepted or understood):

      As a writer, Sterne was ahead of his time.

      Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  aheadThesaurus entry for this meaning of ahead
  5. 5
    used for saying that someone is achieving more success in a competition, election etc than someone else

    Labour are ahead in the opinion polls.

    ahead of:

    The Eagles are already ten points ahead of their nearest rivals.

    well ahead (=winning easily):

    At the end of Round 8, Tyson was well ahead on points.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  aheadThesaurus entry for this meaning of ahead

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This is the British English definition of ahead. View American English definition of ahead.

Change your default dictionary and thesaurus to American English.

 

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