1 B1 neutral
to move quickly in front of other people
"The children ran ahead to see the sea first."
inseparable
run ahead
B1 neutral inseparable intransitive
to move in front of others, or to progress faster than expected
In plain English
to go in front, or to happen faster than planned
What does "run ahead" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic neutral
to happen or progress earlier or faster than expected
"The meeting is running ahead, so we may finish before lunch."
inseparable
Usage tip
Used literally for people or animals and figuratively for schedules, clocks, or plans.
Words that pair with "run ahead"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
children group schedule clock time story
How to conjugate "run ahead"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
run ahead
I/you/we/they
3rd person
runs ahead
he/she/it
Past simple
ran ahead
yesterday
Past participle
run ahead
have + pp
-ing form
running ahead
continuous
Hear "run ahead" in the wild
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Other ways to say "run ahead"
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