already

adverb

al·​ready ȯl-ˈre-dē 

ˈȯl-ˌre-dē

1

: prior to a specified or implied past, present, or future time : by this time : previously

He had already left when I called.

2

—used as an intensive

All right already.

Enough already!

Synonyms

• afore [chiefly dialect]
• ahead
• antecedently
• anteriorly
• before
• beforehand
• earlier
• formerly
• preliminarily
• previously

Examples of already in a Sentence

They've already agreed to come.

I'd already left by the time you called.

He acted as if he didn't already know.

Flight 102 will already have taken off by the time Flight 101 lands.

Have they arrived already?! I'm still not dressed!

Do you have to go already?

Recent Examples on the Web

Multiple acquisitions to lead off 2025 are already setting the tone for logistics sector. —Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 13 Jan. 2025

Even if the whiskies already range from £175 [$212] to £3,500 [$4,258]. —Lela London, Forbes, 13 Jan. 2025

The team bolstered an already strong farm system by selecting second baseman Travis Bazzana as the No. 1 overall pick in the MLB Draft. —Troy Smith, Axios, 13 Jan. 2025

The boisterous Musk and Ramaswamy have already solved one of Roosevelt’s problems by generating numerous headlines, from among other things, a trip to Capitol Hill. —Bruce W. Dearstyne / Made By History, TIME, 13 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English al redy, from al redy, adjective, wholly ready, from al all + redy ready

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing already

• all right already

Kids Definition

already

adverb

al·​ready ȯl-ˈred-ē 

ˈȯl-ˌred-ē

: before a certain time : by the time

I had already left when you called