ENGLISH
REFERENCE

get ahead of oneself

idiom
Meaning

To focus excessively on one's plans or on prospective future events without paying adequate attention to the present.


Examples
SIMPLE

Don't get ahead of yourself; finish this task first.

CONTEXTUAL

She started planning the wedding menu before she was even engaged, but her sister told her not to get ahead of herself.

COMPLEX

While the investors were eager to project record-breaking profits for the next decade, the CEO cautioned them not to get ahead of themselves until the prototype passed its final safety inspection.

Anchors to
Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    adorn oneself with borrowed plumes

    To claim the honor of another for oneself.

  2. 02

    apply oneself

    Synonym of strive: to work hard, to complete an activity with good effort and focus.

  3. 03

    be oneself

    To behave or act naturally, without regard to how this behavior is perceived by others.

  4. 04

    bear oneself

    To behave and conduct oneself in a particular manner.

  5. 05

    box oneself into a corner

    To create a predicament or problem for oneself; to do something that leaves one with no good alternatives or solutions.

  6. 06

    buy a dog and bark oneself

    To do something that one has hired someone else to do.

  7. 07

    can't get enough

    Greatly enjoys; likes a lot.

  8. 08

    carry oneself

    To move, especially emphasizing the manner in which one moves.

© 2026 English Reference