Meanings
- not comparableSide by side and facing forward.First known use First attested from around (1350 to 1470.)
The only path was narrow and rugged: two men could hardly walk abreast;
1859, Thomas Babington Macaulay, The History of England from the Accession of James the Second1 more example
I considered the matter a moment, and then up stairs we went, and I was ushered into a small room, cold as a clam, and furnished, sure enough, with a prodigious bed, almost big enough indeed for any four harpooneers to sleep abreast."
1851 November 14, Herman Melville, “chapter 3”, in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC - figurativelynot comparableAlongside; parallel to.First known use First attested in the mid 17ᵗʰ century.
On Sunday afternoon it was as dark as night, with barely room for two riders abreast on a gradient that touches 20%.
2012 July 15, Richard Williams, “Tour de France 2012: Carpet tacks cannot force Bradley Wiggins off track”, in Guardian Unlimited - not comparableInformed, well-informed, familiar, acquainted.First known use First attested in the mid 17ᵗʰ century.
Synonyms: apprised, informed, up to date, up-to-date
- not comparableFollowed by of or with: up to a certain level or line; equally advanced.First known use First attested in the mid 17ᵗʰ century.
She believes it is important to keep abreast of new scientific developments.
- Scotlandnot comparableBreast high (of an advancing wave).
The west wind blew a tempest, and, according to the common expression, brought in the water [of the Solway] three foot abreast.
- not comparablenauticalSide by side; also, opposite; on a line with the vessel's beam.First known use First attested in the late 17ᵗʰ century.
- not comparableobsoleteAt the same time; simultaneously.
Abreast therewith began a convocation.
1842, Thomas Fuller, The Church History of Britain, From the birth of Jesus Christ until the year MDCXLVIII., 3rd edition, volume 1, page 412
- not comparableSide by side, facing forward.First known use First attested from around (1350 to 1470.)
- figurativelynot comparableAlongside; parallel to.First known use First attested in the mid 17ᵗʰ century.
- not comparableInformed, well-informed, familiar, acquainted.First known use First attested in the mid 17ᵗʰ century.
- not comparableUp to a certain level or line; equally advancedFirst known use First attested in the mid 17ᵗʰ century.
to keep abreast of [or with] the present state of science
1 more example
Some people are born with a vital and responsive energy. It not only enables them to keep abreast of the times; it qualifies them to furnish in their own personality a good bit of the motive power to the mad pace.
c. 1900, Kate Chopin, A Reflection - not comparablenauticalSide by side; also, opposite; over against; on a line with the vessel's beam.First known use First attested in the late 17ᵗʰ century.
For quotations using this term, see Citations:abreast.
- Abreast of; alongside.
This ship sank abreast the island.
Synonyms & antonyms
adverbInformed, well-informed, familiar, acquainted.
More synonyms by meaning
adjectivebeing up to particular standard or level especially in being up to date in knowledge
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Middle Englishabrest
- Englishabreast
From Middle English abrest. By surface analysis, a- (“on, at”) + breast, meaning “breasts (chests) in line, side-by-side and exactly equally advanced”; roughly “breast-by-breast”.
More words from Middle English
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian редом, един до друг
- редом (redom)side by side
- един до другside by side
- на един ред (na edin red)side by side
- рамо до рамо (ramo do ramo)side by side
Catalan ensems
- ensemsside by side
Chinese Mandarin 並排 /并排, 並肩 /并肩
- 並排 /并排 (bìngpái)side by side
- 並肩 /并肩 (bìngjiān)side by side
Czech na výši, na úrovni
- na výšiup to a certain level or line
- na úrovniup to a certain level or line
- bok po bokuside by side
- vedle sebeside by side
Dutch op de hoogte, bekend
- op de hoogteinformed
- bekendinformed
- goed ingelichtinformed
- welingelichtinformed
- met zijn tijd meeinformed
- gelijke tred houdendup to a certain level or line
- bijblijvenup to a certain level or line
- zij aan zijside by side
- naast elkaarside by side
Estonian kursis
- kursisinformed
Finnish tietoinen, ajan tasalla
- tietoineninformed
- ajan tasallainformed
- tasallaup to a certain level or line
- rinnakkainside by side
- vierekkäinside by side
- vierivieressäside by side
- kyljittäinnautical: side by side; also, opposite; over against; on a line with the vessel's beam
French au courant, côte à côte
- au courantinformed
- côte à côteside by side
German auf dem Laufenden, Schritt
- auf dem Laufendeninformed
- Schrittup to a certain level or line
- auf dem Laufendenup to a certain level or line
- auf der Höheup to a certain level or line
- beieinanderside by side
- nebeneinanderside by side
- Seite an Seiteside by side
- auf gleicher Höhenautical: side by side; also, opposite; over against; on a line with the vessel's beam
Greek δίπλα-δίπλα
- δίπλα-δίπλα (dípla-dípla)informed
Irish gualainn ar ghualainn
- gualainn ar ghualainnside by side
Italian aggiornato, al passo
- aggiornatoinformed
- al passoinformed
- al correnteinformed
- affiancatoside by side
- di pari passoside by side
- al traversonautical: side by side; also, opposite; over against; on a line with the vessel's beam
Māori upane
- upaneside by side
Polish na bieżąco, krok w krok
- na bieżącoinformed
- krok w krokup to a certain level or line
- obok siebieside by side
- ręka w rękęside by side
- ramię w ramięside by side
- na trawersienautical: side by side; also, opposite; over against; on a line with the vessel's beam
Portuguese bem informado, lado a lado
- bem informadoinformed
- lado a ladoside by side
Russian бок о́ бок, ря́дом
- бок о́ бок (bok ó bok)side by side
- ря́дом (rjádom)side by side
- на тра́верзе (na tráverze)nautical: side by side; also, opposite; over against; on a line with the vessel's beam
- борт о́ борт (bort ó bort)nautical: side by side; also, opposite; over against; on a line with the vessel's beam
Spanish al corriente, de lado a lado
- al corrienteinformed
- de lado a ladoside by side
- lado a ladoside by side
- a fondoside by side
- a la altura deside by side
Turkish yan yana
- yan yanaside by side
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with abreast
Anagrams
Cite this entry
abreast. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/abreast
“abreast.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/abreast. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “abreast,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/abreast.
Source: abreast on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.