earliest

adjective

as in first
coming before all others in time or order the earliest computers were massive machines that practically filled up a room

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for earliest
  1. first
  2. initial
  3. original
  4. foremost
Adjective
  • Also, after the first round, each mini-game has a separate metagame, where one or more players have a secret goal to meet without getting caught.
    — Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2026
  • The sentences at the Fourth Criminal Court in Damascus are the first against Assad or members of his inner circle since the Assad family’s five decades in power came to an end 20 months ago.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of first
Adjective
  • This follows an initial €46 million bid also being turned down, despite Rodri agreeing to join the Catalans.
    — Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2026
  • An initial compensation of 1 million baht (about $30,166) has been approved for six of the deceased victims, the statement said.
    — Kocha Olarn, CNN Money, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of initial
Adjective
  • For almost 20 years, Xerjoff has specialized in exotic perfumes, crafting 170 original scents that are available in more than 130 countries around the world.
    — Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 15 Aug. 2026
  • The original proposal raised questions about how much financial risk Nvidia should assume.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of original
Adjective
  • ActiveCampaign Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Today, perhaps the foremost image of a moderate is that of a centrist on a left-right spectrum.
    — Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of foremost
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

earlier
earliest
earliness
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Earliest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/earliest. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on earliest

Nglish: Translation of earliest for Spanish Speakers

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