early 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of earlynext
1
as in ancient
relating to or occurring near the beginning of a process, series, or time period early birds of the Jurassic period

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in unexpected
occurring before the usual or expected time we had an early dinner so as not to miss the concert

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

early

2 of 2

adverb

ˈər-lē How to pronounce early (audio)
as in immediately
before the usual or expected time that year spring arrived early

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of early
Adjective
The Guayrá was still covered in a thick mist at that early hour, but the man was out in the middle of the square, looking down into the well and thinking sleepily about something. — Literary Hub, 14 Aug. 2026 According to a poll conducted by Fox News, the Republican leads Acton by 2 percentage points, a slight increase from earlier polling that showed a 50-49 split. — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 14 Aug. 2026
Adverb
Lebanon and Israel have held seven rounds of talks; the most recent took place in Rome earlier this month. — ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026 By the end of the week, markets were pricing in a 67% chance that the Fed would keep its benchmark rate unchanged, up from 55% a week earlier, according to the CME Fed Watch tool . — Alexa Lomonaco, CNBC, 15 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for early
Recent Examples of Synonyms for early
  1. ancient
  2. unexpected
  3. immediately
  4. primitive
  5. premature
  6. prematurely
  7. prehistoric
  8. sudden
Adjective
  • In a sport written about in ancient Greek literature, no one has thrown a discus as far as Mykolas Alekna.
    — Eduardo Tansley, New York Times, 11 Aug. 2026
  • The story follows ancient creatures appearing in the modern world, prompting heroes from different countries to confront a rising darkness threatening the region.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of ancient
Adjective
  • Few inside and outside the Bernabeu doubt Mourinho will blow up at some point — most likely when his team suffer an unexpected defeat or are victims of a controversial refereeing decision.
    — Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • For now, Mike and I are enjoying these unexpected bonus days.
    — Kim Clark, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of unexpected
Adverb
  • Clark immediately started limping and grimaced as she was subbed out.
    — James Boyd, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Instead of committing immediately to a single vehicle architecture, the Army is effectively subjecting multiple approaches to the same test regime and allowing battlefield performance to determine which ones deserve further investment.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of immediately
Adjective
  • Some researchers have argued that LUCA was a complex cell with a primitive immune system to protect against viruses.
    — Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Porous feet deliver The researchers designed and 3D-printed three hemispherical TPMS variants—primitive, gyroid and diamond—and evaluated their mechanical properties through compression testing.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of primitive
Adjective
  • But the 9th Circuit said Section 230 provides a defense to liability, ​not immunity from lawsuits, so the appeal was premature.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Nobody should be surprised at the premature arrival of grape harvest 2026, especially in the warmer inland areas.
    — Laura Ness, Mercury News, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of premature
Adverb
  • Lockett appeared in the first four games of the season for the Knights, registering 13 tackles, including 3 for loss with a sack and two passes defended before tearing a pectoral muscle that prematurely ended his season.
    — Matt Murschel, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Mana has also been a key player in the Flagler streetscape plan, which the city and the DDA launched after brick-paver sidewalks installed under a previous beautification scheme in 2004 began to prematurely crack and fade.
    — Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of prematurely
Adjective
  • Scientists have recovered ancient human DNA directly from cave walls in Spain and Portugal, opening a new way to study the people behind prehistoric rock art.
    — George Nelson, ARTnews.com, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali and Jonathan Bailey led the prehistoric revival, which revolved around a top-secret quest to retrieve the DNA of dinosaurs to create a miracle drug.
    — Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of prehistoric
Adjective
  • The sudden loss of mass means the strength of the primary star’s gravity drops suddenly, causing the secondary companion to get flung out into space at dizzying speeds.
    — Phil Plait, Scientific American, 14 Aug. 2026
  • But the sudden reversal in many of its biggest stock bets, compounded by losses on the other side of its portfolio and the use of leverage, quickly turned into a liquidity crunch.
    — Yun Li, CNBC, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of sudden

Browse Nearby Words

earls
early
earmark
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Cite this Entry

“Early.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/early. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of early for Spanish Speakers

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