ENGLISH
REFERENCE

ahead

adv.
US //əˈhɛd// UK //ɐhˈɛd// ahead
  1. 1 physically in front (adv.)
    A2 Elementary

    at or towards the front; in the direction you are moving.

    positioned in front of the subject or in the direction of travel.

    Example

    The road ahead was blocked by a fallen tree after the storm.

    Example

    The scouts moved cautiously, scanning the dense undergrowth for any sign of the trail that lay somewhere ahead in the mist.
  2. 2 in the future (adv.)
    B1 Intermediate

    happening at a later time.

    referring to a point in time that has not yet occurred.

    Example

    We need to plan for the difficult months ahead.

    Example

    Looking at the decade ahead, economists predict a significant shift toward renewable energy infrastructure across the continent.
Show 2 more sensesShow fewer
  1. 3 winning or more advanced (adv.)
    B1 Intermediate

    further advanced or having a better score than someone else.

    occupying a superior position in a competition or a more advanced stage of development.

    Example

    Our team was two points ahead with only a minute left in the game.

    Example

    The company remains years ahead of its competitors in terms of battery efficiency and manufacturing speed.
  2. 4 earlier or in advance (adv.)
    B1 Intermediate

    before a specific time or event happens.

    occurring at an earlier time than something else; beforehand.

    Example

    If you finish your work ahead of time, you can leave early.

    Example

    The project was completed three weeks ahead of schedule, allowing the marketing team to launch the campaign during the peak holiday season.

    Usage

    Often used in the phrase 'ahead of schedule' or 'ahead of time'.
Origin

From a- + head. Perhaps originally a nautical term, "beyond the head (of a ship)", then drifting into more general English usage where it is used to describe something as being "in front of".

Word family
Idioms7 entries

© 2026 English Reference