Skip to main content
to get ahead

to get ahead

83 3.4
Do better than others, for example at work or school
  • phrasal verb
  • /ɡɛt əˈhɛd/
translation icon : progresar
  • High scorers care deeply about being successful, getting ahead, and getting things done.
  • get ahead of the curve
  • get ahead in the world
  • want to get ahead

So people need to get ahead with non violent means.

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • And if your generation wants to get ahead, you've really got to study.

  • And so, you know, I could get ahead very easily in that.

  • So then again, again, how do you get ahead while you change your friends?

  • You used me to get ahead in your work...

  • So we have the resources to get ahead of them and lead them in.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • You have to act quick to get ahead of your opponent.

  • Here he offers a textbook example of how to get ahead in advertising.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • To succeed in this competitive job market, you need to find ways to get ahead of your peers.

  • She took a course in management to get ahead in her career.

  • He always looks for opportunities to get ahead in the corporate ladder.

Synonyms

to win
vsto get ahead
1.0

To beat others in a contest or game

may be used for smaller advances short of total victory
to beat
vsto get ahead
1.4

To defeat another person or team in a contest

can mean moving ahead without fully defeating others
to advance
vsto get ahead
417 3.4

To help something move forward or become better

focuses specifically on gaining advantage relative to others
to beat out
vsto get ahead
49 3.8

Defeat others in a contest to win a job or prize

covers gaining a lead even when not narrowly defeating someone
to get the best of
vsto get ahead
32 4.6

To be overcome by something like tiredness, strong feelings, or problems

focuses on moving to a better comparative or competitive position
to outperform
vsto get ahead
30 4.8

Do better than someone or something

emphasizes gaining advantage or position rather than just results
to best
vsto get ahead
23 4.2

To defeat someone in a contest or game

is broader, referring to achieving advantage not only exact defeat
to outdo
vsto get ahead
22 3.8

Be better than someone at something

focuses on moving into a better competitive position
to gain ground
vsto get ahead
16 4.0

To make progress and become more successful than others

is more about gaining advantage or moving ahead in status
to one up
vsto get ahead
  • Informal
11 6.7

To do or say something to seem better than someone

is about gaining advantage generally rather than direct superiority
to pull ahead
vsto get ahead
9 3.4

To move into a leading position in a race or competition

applies more widely to gaining advantage beyond racing situations
to get the jump
vsto get ahead
  • Informal
9 6.8

To act before others to get an advantage

includes gaining advantage in many ways, not only by acting first
to move up in the world
vsto get ahead
7 4.5

To get more successful and reach a higher social or economic position

is about gaining advantage specifically in competition or contest
to jockey for position
vsto get ahead
4 7.1

Try to move into a better place than others before an important decision or event

may be simpler, covering any advantage gain without complex maneuvering
to outcompete
vsto get ahead
2 6.1

To do better than someone or something and win

covers gaining advantage even when not about outright winning
to outgain
vsto get ahead
2 6.7

To gain more than someone else, especially in a competition

is more about improving position especially in competition
to outdistance
vsto get ahead
2 6.7

Get much farther ahead of other people in a race or competition

can mean a smaller or initial advantage rather than a large lead
to get one up on
vsto get ahead
  • Informal
1 6.1

To have an advantage over someone in competition

is broader, covering any move into a better position
to outrace
vsto get ahead
1 5.9

To get ahead of others in progress or achievement

is general about gaining advantage including physical contests
to draw away
vsto get ahead
1 4.6

To move ahead of others in a race or competition

is broader, covering any improvement in comparative position
to outvie
vsto get ahead
  • Archaic
9.9

To try to be better than someone in a contest or task

is the general act of moving ahead rather than the striving
to score off
vsto get ahead
  • UK
7.4

To get an advantage over someone by doing better than them

is broader, not limited to arguments or single events
to score off the competition
vsto get ahead
  • UK
5.3

Get an advantage over other companies or people

is the general move into a better position beyond single contests
6.2

To win against other teams or companies in a contest

includes partial advances not necessarily full defeat of rivals
to leapfrog ahead
vsto get ahead
7.1

To suddenly move ahead of competitors by making a big improvement

covers gradual or varied moves into better positions, not only sudden leaps

Antonyms

To not keep up with others or a schedule

How Successful

to dominate
275 3.7
to excel
58 3.7
to get ahead
83 3.4
to succeed
846 2.0
to do well
520 1.2

Surface Forms

get ahead infinitive
getting ahead present participle
gets ahead third person singular
got ahead past
got ahead past participle

Morphology

get + ahead

The meaning 'to achieve an advantage or move into a better position' is directly derivable from combining 'get' (to obtain/reach) with 'ahead' (in a leading position). This compositional pattern (verb + directional/positional adverb) is common cross-linguistically, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents should be able to infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Get ahead comes from the simple picture of a race: to get in front, or ahead, of the other runners by moving forward. That's why it now means 'to succeed' or 'to move into a better position'.