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
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.
Small variations in the density of the upper atmosphere driven by solar activity could bring down the spacecraft sooner or later than expected. ArsTechnica, 8 May 2025 But with Who principals Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey at 79 and 81 respectively, nature will catch up sooner or later. Jem Aswad, Variety, 8 May 2025 Emitting carbon is like using a credit card—the bill must be paid sooner or later. Ken Silverstein, Forbes.com, 6 May 2025 The question now is whether that test will come sooner or later. Gary B. Graves, Baltimore Sun, 4 May 2025 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

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Cite this Entry

“Sooner or later.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sooner%20or%20later. Accessed 14 May. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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