early on
adverb
: at or during an early point or stage
the reasons were obvious early on in the experiment
Using Early on: Usage Guide
This adverb is sometimes objected to in American writing as an obtrusive Briticism. It is a relative newcomer to the language, having arisen in British English around 1928. It seems to have filled a need, however. It came into frequent use in American English in the late 1960s and is now well established on both sides of the Atlantic in both speech and writing.
Examples of early on in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Start Lean One of the biggest mistakes entrepreneurs make is overcomplicating their business early on.
—
Cheryl Robinson, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2025
These services monitor your financial accounts and credit report for any signs of fraudulent activity, alerting you to potential identity theft early on.
—Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, Fox News, 20 Feb. 2025
Tkachuk was questionable to play entering Thursday night’s final, after leaving the team’s game against Sweden early on Monday, and missing the team’s practice on Wednesday due to illness.
—Homero De La Fuente, CNN, 20 Feb. 2025
Millions of people across 16 states were under extreme cold warnings from the National Weather Service (NWS) early on Wednesday.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 19 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for early on
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Cheryl Robinson, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2025
These services monitor your financial accounts and credit report for any signs of fraudulent activity, alerting you to potential identity theft early on.
—Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, Fox News, 20 Feb. 2025
Tkachuk was questionable to play entering Thursday night’s final, after leaving the team’s game against Sweden early on Monday, and missing the team’s practice on Wednesday due to illness.
—Homero De La Fuente, CNN, 20 Feb. 2025
Millions of people across 16 states were under extreme cold warnings from the National Weather Service (NWS) early on Wednesday.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 19 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for early on
Cite this Entry
“Early on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/early%20on. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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