abreast

American

[uh-brest] / əˈbrɛst /

adverb

side by side; beside each other in a line.

They walked two abreast down the street.
equal to or alongside in progress, attainment, or awareness (usually followed by of orwith ).

to keep abreast of scientific developments; keeping abreast with the times.

abreast British

/ əˈbrɛst /

adjective

alongside each other and facing in the same direction
up to date (with); fully conversant (with)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of abreast

First recorded in 1590–1600; a- ¹ + breast

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.

Thomas said at a press conference after his unveiling that he had "kept abreast of Welsh politics" and was "very informed" about the country's political scene.

From BBC • Feb. 5, 2026

At many companies there is a single person in charge of HR, which might mean that compliance alone—staying abreast of federal, state and local laws and regulations—consumes that person’s days.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 12, 2025

Inslee is not, he told me, against staying abreast of public opinion per se.

From Slate • Jul. 10, 2025

And our intelligence agencies ensure our domestic defense by keeping abreast of those who do not like the United States.

From Salon • Feb. 6, 2025

Washington pulled abreast of Penn. But Bobby Moch still hadn’t really turned the boys loose.

From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023