sooner or later

adverb

: at some uncertain future time : sometime

Examples of sooner or later in a Sentence

sooner or later, the police are going to track down the burglar
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
That’s the risk in raving about something destined to be seen sooner or later on a small screen. Chris Willman, Variety, 3 Oct. 2024 Another statement to consider: The fact that a man who is at once hard-working, clever and thrifty will sooner or later make money seems to me to be so obvious as to require no particular philosophical meditation . Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 30 Sep. 2024 There is much that is uncertain, but one thing seems sure: the contest between democracy and authoritarianism in Venezuela most likely will now be determined not by a vote but, sooner or later, by force. Jon Lee Anderson, The New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2024 What happens next, in other words, is what should have happened months ago, and what had to happen sooner or later. David Von Drehle, Washington Post, 21 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for sooner or later 

Word History

First Known Use

1577, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sooner or later was in 1577

Dictionary Entries Near sooner or later

Cite this Entry

“Sooner or later.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sooner%20or%20later. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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