during
Americanpreposition
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throughout the duration, continuance, or existence of.
He lived in Florida during the winter.
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at some time or point in the course of.
They departed during the night.
preposition
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concurrently with (some other activity)
kindly don't sleep during my lectures!
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within the limit of (a period of time)
during the day
Usage
What does during mean? During means throughout the entire time or at a certain point in time when something was happening.During is a preposition, which is a type of word used before a noun or pronoun to relate it to another part of the sentence, especially to express a relationship based on space or time. During expresses a relationship based on time—it indicates that something happened not before or after something else, but at the same time.It can mean that something occurred continuously while something else was happening, as in We stayed inside during the storm. Or it can mean that something occurred at a certain time or times while something else was happening, as in I only left the house once during the storm. When used in a sentence, during is usually followed by a noun or pronoun that indicates the time frame or event in which the action has taken place, as in during our vacation or during Spanish class or during the game.Example: I hate how hot it gets during the summer.
Etymology
Origin of during
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“I had half a mind to buy it—just for giggles,” Culkin told the audience at the Rosemont Theater in Illinois during a December 2024 appearance, according to the New York Times.
From MarketWatch
After having a ruptured cyst, she had a laparoscopy to remove some endometriosis, which eased her symptoms for a while, but she still experiences severe pain during flare-ups.
From BBC
However, there is concern within F1 about the degree of energy management required, and how that will affect driving styles during qualifying and races.
From BBC
During the first week of testing, Canadian Lance Stroll claimed Aston Martin "look four seconds off top teams"
From BBC
During the second week of pre-season testing, Ferrari turned heads with their rotating 'upside down' rear wing when the car's straight-line mode was activated.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
