behind
1 of 3adverb or adjective
be·hind
bi-ˈhīnd 
bē-
1
a
: in the place or situation that is being or has been departed from
stay behind
b
: in, to, or toward the back
look behind
came from behind
c
: later in time
can spring be far behind
2
3
archaic
: still to come
1
a
: in or to a place or situation in back of or to the rear of
look behind you
put behind bars
b
—used as a function word to indicate something that screens an observer
the sun went behind a cloud
c
: following in order
marched behind the band
2
—used as a function word to indicate backwardness, delay, or deficiency
behind the times
behind schedule
lagged behind last year's sales
3
a
: in the background of
the conditions behind the strike
b
: out of the mind or consideration of
put our troubles behind us
c
: beyond in depth or time
the story behind the story
go back behind St. Augustine
4
a
: in support of : on the side of
solidly behind the candidate
b
: with the support of
won 1–0 behind brilliant pitching
: buttocks
—often used as a euphemism for ass in idiomatic expressions
get your behind over here
Synonyms
Adverb or adjective
Preposition
Noun
Examples of behind in a Sentence
Preposition
The older students entered the room first with the younger students following behind them.
The cat hid behind the couch.
The sun went behind a cloud.
They were ahead of us by 5 points earlier in the game, but now they're behind us by 7.
The polls show that he is behind the other candidates.
The company is now behind the competition.
He was behind the other students in his studies.
Noun
kicked him in the behind
Recent Examples on the Web
Stephanie Yang, Los Angeles Times, 3 Apr. 2024
Norwegian Cruise passengers, who were stranded on an African island, missed the boarding time by more than an hour, which is why they were left behind, according to reports.
—Chris Eberhart, Fox News, 3 Apr. 2024
But few realize that the Egyptians also left behind a more practical legacy: taxes and the principles of administrative government.
—Kate McMahon, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024
For a sojourn that seems at first glance to have little to do with Libya or Matar’s search for his father, the past is never far behind.
—Hazlitt, 3 Apr. 2024
One, who had fallen ill before the incident, has safely returned to the U.S.
Multiple passengers were stranded on an island in Africa after their Norwegian Cruise Line ship reportedly left them behind.
—Natalia Senanayake, Peoplemag, 3 Apr. 2024
Fundraising leaders looked at endowment for peer orchestras, Phillips said, and saw Charlotte lagging behind.
—Adam Bell, Charlotte Observer, 3 Apr. 2024
Jay and Jill Campbell of South Carolina were part of the group that was left behind.
—Marlene Lenthang, NBC News, 2 Apr. 2024
One of the system's critics is retirement expert Teresa Ghilarducci, an economist and professor at the The New School for Social Research in New York, who recently told CBS News that the current approach has left behind the bottom 90% of workers.
—Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2024
Steven Levy, WIRED, 5 Apr. 2024
Images show her with a bloodied face with her hands handcuffed behind her back.
—USA TODAY, 5 Apr. 2024
The circumstances behind the shooting and how detectives zeroed in on Vasquez and Diaz remained unclear Thursday.
—Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Apr. 2024
Some warn that reliably detecting deepfakes will probably become impossible, as the tech behind AI image generators changes and improves.
—Gerrit De Vynck, Washington Post, 5 Apr. 2024
Go at peak traffic time and step back behind their landscape plants.
—Neil Sperry, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Apr. 2024
International arrivals in both countries lagged significantly behind pre-pandemic levels in 2023.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 5 Apr. 2024
Chelsea meanwhile moves to 10th in the table, just five points behind United.
—Ben Morse, CNN, 5 Apr. 2024
But prior to Friday’s 4-of-6 three-point shooting performance with the Heat, Swider had shot just 5 of 19 (26.3 percent) from behind the arc in his limited NBA playing time this season.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 24 Mar. 2024
Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Feb. 2024
The very first winner was hip-hop artist T-Pain, who left his trademark Auto-Tune behind to show off his pipes au naturel.
—Lars Brandle, Billboard, 9 Nov. 2023
In the snap, Jagger blows a kiss at the camera and places a hand on her hip while her little brother sticks out his behind.
—Staff Author, Peoplemag, 30 Aug. 2023
Many Weibo users noted the animal’s upright posture, as well as folds of loose fur on its behind – making the bear look somewhat odd and fueling speculation that a human imposter might be masquerading in its place.
—Heather Chen, CNN, 1 Aug. 2023
When Kimmel inquired whether Momoa was wearing the malo under his clothes during their interview, the actor simply rose from his seat and began removing his apparel until he was clad only in the traditional thong-like clothing, baring his behind for the talk show host and his audience.
—Eric Andersson, Peoplemag, 13 July 2023
García has 54 RBIs, one behind of MLB-leader Yordan Alvarez.
—Mark Didtler, BostonGlobe.com, 10 June 2023
Keep them raised and drag your heels slowly toward your behind, then push them back to the starting position and repeat without lowering your hips.
—Alisha McDarris, Popular Science, 29 June 2023
Pushing too hard could wind up biting you in the behind at any moment.
—Chicago Tribune, 30 Dec. 2022
Adverb or adjective
But if villagers can identify where a sculpture or object once stood, Cambodia can conduct an excavation to look for physical proof of looting — a fragment or plinth or limb left behind like a missing piece of a jigsaw puzzle.
—Stephanie Yang, Los Angeles Times, 3 Apr. 2024
Norwegian Cruise passengers, who were stranded on an African island, missed the boarding time by more than an hour, which is why they were left behind, according to reports.
—Chris Eberhart, Fox News, 3 Apr. 2024
But few realize that the Egyptians also left behind a more practical legacy: taxes and the principles of administrative government.
—Kate McMahon, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024
For a sojourn that seems at first glance to have little to do with Libya or Matar’s search for his father, the past is never far behind.
—Hazlitt, 3 Apr. 2024
One, who had fallen ill before the incident, has safely returned to the U.S.
Multiple passengers were stranded on an island in Africa after their Norwegian Cruise Line ship reportedly left them behind.
—Natalia Senanayake, Peoplemag, 3 Apr. 2024
Fundraising leaders looked at endowment for peer orchestras, Phillips said, and saw Charlotte lagging behind.
—Adam Bell, Charlotte Observer, 3 Apr. 2024
Jay and Jill Campbell of South Carolina were part of the group that was left behind.
—Marlene Lenthang, NBC News, 2 Apr. 2024
One of the system's critics is retirement expert Teresa Ghilarducci, an economist and professor at the The New School for Social Research in New York, who recently told CBS News that the current approach has left behind the bottom 90% of workers.
—Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2024
Preposition
What if the dataset behind the chat interface was physical reality itself, captured in real time by interpreting the input of billions of sensors sprinkled around the globe?
—Steven Levy, WIRED, 5 Apr. 2024
Images show her with a bloodied face with her hands handcuffed behind her back.
—USA TODAY, 5 Apr. 2024
The circumstances behind the shooting and how detectives zeroed in on Vasquez and Diaz remained unclear Thursday.
—Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Apr. 2024
Some warn that reliably detecting deepfakes will probably become impossible, as the tech behind AI image generators changes and improves.
—Gerrit De Vynck, Washington Post, 5 Apr. 2024
Go at peak traffic time and step back behind their landscape plants.
—Neil Sperry, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Apr. 2024
International arrivals in both countries lagged significantly behind pre-pandemic levels in 2023.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 5 Apr. 2024
Chelsea meanwhile moves to 10th in the table, just five points behind United.
—Ben Morse, CNN, 5 Apr. 2024
But prior to Friday’s 4-of-6 three-point shooting performance with the Heat, Swider had shot just 5 of 19 (26.3 percent) from behind the arc in his limited NBA playing time this season.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 24 Mar. 2024
Noun
You’re dragged by the collective ears to the door before finding a boot in your behind.
—Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Feb. 2024
The very first winner was hip-hop artist T-Pain, who left his trademark Auto-Tune behind to show off his pipes au naturel.
—Lars Brandle, Billboard, 9 Nov. 2023
In the snap, Jagger blows a kiss at the camera and places a hand on her hip while her little brother sticks out his behind.
—Staff Author, Peoplemag, 30 Aug. 2023
Many Weibo users noted the animal’s upright posture, as well as folds of loose fur on its behind – making the bear look somewhat odd and fueling speculation that a human imposter might be masquerading in its place.
—Heather Chen, CNN, 1 Aug. 2023
When Kimmel inquired whether Momoa was wearing the malo under his clothes during their interview, the actor simply rose from his seat and began removing his apparel until he was clad only in the traditional thong-like clothing, baring his behind for the talk show host and his audience.
—Eric Andersson, Peoplemag, 13 July 2023
García has 54 RBIs, one behind of MLB-leader Yordan Alvarez.
—Mark Didtler, BostonGlobe.com, 10 June 2023
Keep them raised and drag your heels slowly toward your behind, then push them back to the starting position and repeat without lowering your hips.
—Alisha McDarris, Popular Science, 29 June 2023
Pushing too hard could wind up biting you in the behind at any moment.
—Chicago Tribune, 30 Dec. 2022
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'behind.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Adverb or adjective
Middle English behinde, from Old English behindan, from be- + hindan from behind; akin to Old English hinder behind — more at hind
Preposition
Middle English behinde, behinden, from behinde, behinden, behind entry 1
Noun
noun derivative of behind entry 1
First Known Use
Adverb Or Adjective
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Preposition
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Noun
circa 1830, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of behind was
before the 12th century
Phrases Containing behind
Articles Related to behind
Dictionary Entries Near behind
Cite this Entry
“Behind.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/behind. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
behind
1 of 2 adverb or adjective
be·hind
bi-ˈhīnd
1
a
: in a place or time that is being or has been departed from
stay behind
left years of poverty behind
b
: at, to, or toward the back
look behind
fall behind
2
a
: not up to the general level
behind in school
b
: not keeping up to a schedule
behind in the car payments
behind
2 of 2 preposition1
: at, to, or toward the back of
look behind you
a garden behind the house
2
: not up to the level of
sales are behind those of last year
behind the rest of the class
3
a
: in the background of
the reasons behind our success
b
: in support of
we're behind you all the way
More from Merriam-Webster on behind
Nglish: Translation of behind for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of behind for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about behind
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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