# ahead

/əˈhɛd/ (US) · /ɐhˈɛd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/ahead
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. physically in front

adverb · CEFR A2

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

For teachers: positioned in front of the subject or in the direction of travel.

- The road ahead was blocked by a fallen tree after the storm.
- The scouts moved cautiously, scanning the dense undergrowth for any sign of the trail that lay somewhere ahead in the mist.

### 2. in the future

adverb · CEFR B1

happening at a later time.

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

- We need to plan for the difficult months ahead.
- Looking at the decade ahead, economists predict a significant shift toward renewable energy infrastructure across the continent.

### 3. winning or more advanced

adverb · CEFR B1

further advanced or having a better score than someone else.

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

- Our team was two points ahead with only a minute left in the game.
- The company remains years ahead of its competitors in terms of battery efficiency and manufacturing speed.

### 4. earlier or in advance

adverb · CEFR B1

before a specific time or event happens.

For teachers: occurring at an earlier time than something else; beforehand.

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

## Examples

- The road ahead is clear.
- The team worked hard over the weekend to stay ahead of the project deadline.
- Looking at the challenges ahead, the CEO emphasized that the company must innovate to maintain its competitive advantage in an increasingly crowded global market.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.