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.
A day later Pulisic walked across a stage overlooking the East River to cheers during a sparsely attended rally in which the U.S. roster for this summer’s World Cup was announced.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 7, 2026
The British Indian Army, when stationed in Cairo during World War II, is also said to have introduced khichuri to Egypt, ultimately creating the country’s national dish koshari, made with rice, lentils and macaroni.
From Salon • Jun. 7, 2026
"The unusually hot and dry weather during May, followed by wetter conditions in the lead-up to the match, presented a number of challenges in preparing the pitch."
From BBC • Jun. 7, 2026
With the supply already pushed to its limit, housing estates in Dublin’s northern suburbs have been going dark during storms as have cities along the coasts.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 7, 2026
“Kind of like you during the school year?”
From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison
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.
