diff --git a/lib/commands/install.js b/lib/commands/install.js
index 2b465030b1113..7be21582610dc 100644
--- a/lib/commands/install.js
+++ b/lib/commands/install.js
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ class Install extends ArboristWorkspaceCmd {
     'foreground-scripts',
     'ignore-scripts',
     'audit',
+    'before',
     'bin-links',
     'fund',
     'dry-run',
diff --git a/lib/commands/outdated.js b/lib/commands/outdated.js
index 4e0198a95d697..5421b1ddaab89 100644
--- a/lib/commands/outdated.js
+++ b/lib/commands/outdated.js
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ class Outdated extends ArboristWorkspaceCmd {
     'parseable',
     'global',
     'workspace',
+    'before',
   ]
 
   #tree
diff --git a/lib/commands/update.js b/lib/commands/update.js
index 235a9a41177df..0d2fc324d9245 100644
--- a/lib/commands/update.js
+++ b/lib/commands/update.js
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ class Update extends ArboristWorkspaceCmd {
     'foreground-scripts',
     'ignore-scripts',
     'audit',
+    'before',
     'bin-links',
     'fund',
     'dry-run',
diff --git a/tap-snapshots/test/lib/docs.js.test.cjs b/tap-snapshots/test/lib/docs.js.test.cjs
index cbbf8cda7b448..abf35cfd26bc5 100644
--- a/tap-snapshots/test/lib/docs.js.test.cjs
+++ b/tap-snapshots/test/lib/docs.js.test.cjs
@@ -263,9 +263,9 @@ config is given, this value will always be set to \`legacy\`.
 * Type: null or Date
 
 If passed to \`npm install\`, will rebuild the npm tree such that only
-versions that were available **on or before** the \`--before\` time get
-installed. If there's no versions available for the current set of direct
-dependencies, the command will error.
+versions that were available **on or before** the given date are installed.
+If there are no versions available for the current set of dependencies, the
+command will error.
 
 If the requested version is a \`dist-tag\` and the given tag does not pass the
 \`--before\` filter, the most recent version less than or equal to that tag
@@ -3301,8 +3301,9 @@ Options:
 [--global-style] [--omit <dev|optional|peer> [--omit <dev|optional|peer> ...]]
 [--include <prod|dev|optional|peer> [--include <prod|dev|optional|peer> ...]]
 [--strict-peer-deps] [--prefer-dedupe] [--no-package-lock] [--package-lock-only]
-[--foreground-scripts] [--ignore-scripts] [--no-audit] [--no-bin-links]
-[--no-fund] [--dry-run] [--cpu <cpu>] [--os <os>] [--libc <libc>]
+[--foreground-scripts] [--ignore-scripts] [--no-audit] [--before <date>]
+[--no-bin-links] [--no-fund] [--dry-run] [--cpu <cpu>] [--os <os>]
+[--libc <libc>]
 [-w|--workspace <workspace-name> [-w|--workspace <workspace-name> ...]]
 [--workspaces] [--include-workspace-root] [--install-links]
 
@@ -3331,6 +3332,7 @@ aliases: add, i, in, ins, inst, insta, instal, isnt, isnta, isntal, isntall
 #### \`foreground-scripts\`
 #### \`ignore-scripts\`
 #### \`audit\`
+#### \`before\`
 #### \`bin-links\`
 #### \`fund\`
 #### \`dry-run\`
@@ -3399,8 +3401,9 @@ Options:
 [--global-style] [--omit <dev|optional|peer> [--omit <dev|optional|peer> ...]]
 [--include <prod|dev|optional|peer> [--include <prod|dev|optional|peer> ...]]
 [--strict-peer-deps] [--prefer-dedupe] [--no-package-lock] [--package-lock-only]
-[--foreground-scripts] [--ignore-scripts] [--no-audit] [--no-bin-links]
-[--no-fund] [--dry-run] [--cpu <cpu>] [--os <os>] [--libc <libc>]
+[--foreground-scripts] [--ignore-scripts] [--no-audit] [--before <date>]
+[--no-bin-links] [--no-fund] [--dry-run] [--cpu <cpu>] [--os <os>]
+[--libc <libc>]
 [-w|--workspace <workspace-name> [-w|--workspace <workspace-name> ...]]
 [--workspaces] [--include-workspace-root] [--install-links]
 
@@ -3429,6 +3432,7 @@ alias: it
 #### \`foreground-scripts\`
 #### \`ignore-scripts\`
 #### \`audit\`
+#### \`before\`
 #### \`bin-links\`
 #### \`fund\`
 #### \`dry-run\`
@@ -3675,6 +3679,7 @@ npm outdated [<package-spec> ...]
 Options:
 [-a|--all] [--json] [-l|--long] [-p|--parseable] [-g|--global]
 [-w|--workspace <workspace-name> [-w|--workspace <workspace-name> ...]]
+[--before <date>]
 
 Run "npm help outdated" for more info
 
@@ -3688,6 +3693,7 @@ npm outdated [<package-spec> ...]
 #### \`parseable\`
 #### \`global\`
 #### \`workspace\`
+#### \`before\`
 `
 
 exports[`test/lib/docs.js TAP usage owner > must match snapshot 1`] = `
@@ -4433,7 +4439,8 @@ Options:
 [--omit <dev|optional|peer> [--omit <dev|optional|peer> ...]]
 [--include <prod|dev|optional|peer> [--include <prod|dev|optional|peer> ...]]
 [--strict-peer-deps] [--no-package-lock] [--foreground-scripts]
-[--ignore-scripts] [--no-audit] [--no-bin-links] [--no-fund] [--dry-run]
+[--ignore-scripts] [--no-audit] [--before <date>] [--no-bin-links] [--no-fund]
+[--dry-run]
 [-w|--workspace <workspace-name> [-w|--workspace <workspace-name> ...]]
 [--workspaces] [--include-workspace-root] [--install-links]
 
@@ -4459,6 +4466,7 @@ aliases: up, upgrade, udpate
 #### \`foreground-scripts\`
 #### \`ignore-scripts\`
 #### \`audit\`
+#### \`before\`
 #### \`bin-links\`
 #### \`fund\`
 #### \`dry-run\`
diff --git a/workspaces/config/lib/definitions/definitions.js b/workspaces/config/lib/definitions/definitions.js
index bb24f33afedad..3c4380a09af18 100644
--- a/workspaces/config/lib/definitions/definitions.js
+++ b/workspaces/config/lib/definitions/definitions.js
@@ -230,12 +230,13 @@ const definitions = {
   }),
   before: new Definition('before', {
     default: null,
+    hint: '<date>',
     type: [null, Date],
     description: `
       If passed to \`npm install\`, will rebuild the npm tree such that only
-      versions that were available **on or before** the \`--before\` time get
-      installed.  If there's no versions available for the current set of
-      direct dependencies, the command will error.
+      versions that were available **on or before** the given date are
+      installed.  If there are no versions available for the current set of
+      dependencies, the command will error.
 
       If the requested version is a \`dist-tag\` and the given tag does not
       pass the \`--before\` filter, the most recent version less than or equal