Collocations for "before"
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word "before" in context.
WordReference English Collocations © 2025
before
ⓘMost examples are given in US English. We have labeled exceptions as UK.prep
- before [Christ, the war, the Romans, the 21st century]
- (not) before [noon, 5pm, Friday]
- the [year, week, weekend] before last
- before long she [started, remembered, left]
- before [tax, deductions, discounts]
- [call, remind, send it to] me before [noon]
- [story, warm milk, snack] before bedtime
- before the next [meeting, class, visit]
- [arrived, spoke, finished, got there] before him
- put [happiness, health] before money
- (always) puts others before herself
- a [golden, new, exciting] age is before us
- appear before a [judge, panel, audience]
- a crime before [God, humanity, civilization]
- stood before the [entrance, door, window]
- and before you [ask, try, say]
- before you [leave, go, forget]
- before I could (even) object
- will be time to [go, leave, eat] before you know it
- UK: [get, have] it done before you can say Jack Robinson
- both before and after
- either before or [during, after]
- had [seen him, heard that] somewhere before
- if I had [known, been told] before, I would have
- [the day, two days] before
- before [Christ, the war, the Romans, the 21st century]
- both before and after
- (not) before [noon, 5pm, Friday]
- before and after [photos, pictures, images]
- the [year, week, weekend] before last
- either before or [during, after]
- before long she [started, remembered, left]
- had [seen him, heard that] somewhere before
- before [tax, deductions, discounts]
- if I had [known, been told] before, I would have
- [call, remind, send it to] me before [noon]
- [the day, two days] before
- [story, warm milk, snack] before bedtime
- before the next [meeting, class, visit]
- [arrived, spoke, finished, got there] before him
- put [happiness, health] before money
- (always) puts others before herself
- a [golden, new, exciting] age is before us
- appear before a [judge, panel, audience]
- a crime before [God, humanity, civilization]
- stood before the [entrance, door, window]
- and before you [ask, try, say]
- before you [leave, go, forget]
- before I could (even) object
- will be time to [go, leave, eat] before you know it
- UK: [get, have] it done before you can say Jack Robinson
'before' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
AD
- April
- August
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- Greece
- I
- ID
- July
- June
- N
- O
- S
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- T
- W
- Y
- abstract
- accurately
- achieve
- actual
- adjective
- advent
- advisor
- advisory
- airplane
- alarm
- almond
- already
- anytime
- app
- appear
- appearance
- appetizer
- apprehensive
- approval
- archive
- arrive
- ashamed
- asleep
- assembly
- assessment
- associate
- assurance
- attempt
- attendee