before long

adverb

: in the near future : soon

Examples of before long in a Sentence

the painters ought to be done before long
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Barneys New York placed the first order, and, before long, seemingly every fashionable young Manhattanite owned one. Kin Woo, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2025 Everything seems off to a solid start, but before long things get a bit tense when Zoe interrupts the group’s slam dunk competition to steal Grant away for a moment alone. Katie Campione, Deadline, 3 Feb. 2025 Suspicion fell on his wife, who had, it was alleged, put arsenic in Mauroy’s soup, but the damage had been done: before long, the French authorities had officially banned blood transfusion in humans, with the British government and the Pope following suit shortly thereafter. Nicola Twilley, The New Yorker, 3 Feb. 2025 Some tried Fire Road, an alternate evacuation route during emergencies, but before long that passage was surrounded by flames, residents said. Jon Schuppe, NBC News, 11 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for before long

Word History

First Known Use

1585, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of before long was in 1585

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Cite this Entry

“Before long.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/before%20long. Accessed 27 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

before long

adverb
: in the near future : soon

More from Merriam-Webster on before long

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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