1
as in ancient
relating to or occurring near the beginning of a process, series, or time period
early birds of the Jurassic period
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in unexpected
occurring before the usual or expected time
we had an early dinner so as not to miss the concert
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in immediately
before the usual or expected time
that year spring arrived early
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of early
Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 20 Mar. 2025
The benefit of an extended early access period means that developer Pocketpair can respond to fan feedback and implement things that players really want, and the latest update for the game is full of this.
—Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 20 Mar. 2025
Thomas Drance, The Athletic, 8 Mar. 2025
Such anomalies, subtle and difficult for humans to detect, can be flagged by AI early, allowing for timely intervention.
—Ed Garibian, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for early
Adjective
Tourists take photos of early blooming Sakura trees in front of a convenience store in Tokyo.
—Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 20 Mar. 2025
The benefit of an extended early access period means that developer Pocketpair can respond to fan feedback and implement things that players really want, and the latest update for the game is full of this.
—Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 20 Mar. 2025
Adverb
An offseason injury to Thatcher Demko extended into December, keeping Vancouver’s star netminder out of the lineup for longer than the club had hoped earlier in the summer.
—Thomas Drance, The Athletic, 8 Mar. 2025
Such anomalies, subtle and difficult for humans to detect, can be flagged by AI early, allowing for timely intervention.
—Ed Garibian, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for early
Recent Examples of Synonyms for early
Adjective
-
In ancient Persia, the charming Jewish orphan for whom the book is named wins King Ahasuerus’s beauty pageant and becomes queen of a massive empire, while keeping her Jewishness secret.—
Tal Fortgang,
National Review,
14 Mar. 2025
-
Thus, the team concluded that the late Devonian and late Ordovician extinction events, which respectively took place some 372 and 445 million years ago, were likely caused by such ancient supernovae.—
Bruce Dorminey,
Forbes,
14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
While nothing horrible or scandalous went down, each of the various storylines ended with something startling or unexpected.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes,
17 Mar. 2025
-
Although Rose had been more than 80 years old, her death was completely unexpected.—
Guthrie Scrimgeour,
Rolling Stone,
16 Mar. 2025
Adverb
-
All of this said, Monday’s moves did not immediately turn the Patriots into a playoff team.—
Chad Graff,
The Athletic,
11 Mar. 2025
-
The brand and its parent OTB Group revealed on Monday the appointment of Bellotti as creative director, effectively immediately.—
Luisa Zargani,
WWD,
10 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Houde said these mammoth animals are a primitive group of proboscideans ('elephantoids') from which modern elephants evolved.—
Joseph J. Kolb,
Fox News,
18 July 2017
-
Many are primitive and remote, and don’t have restrooms or water.—
OregonLive.com,
OregonLive.com,
12 July 2017
Adjective
-
The obituary was premature, but Technicolor made steady progress in the next few years, mainly in genres trafficking in escapism — musicals, costume dramas, travelogues and animation.—
Thomas Doherty,
The Hollywood Reporter,
11 Mar. 2025
-
Their stand-off during an open house triggers the pregnant real estate agent into premature labor, adding another alarming layer of dread to the survival premise.—
J. Kim Murphy,
Variety,
11 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Permafrost—stable for millennia—is now thawing at an accelerating pace, breaking open microbial vaults from a prehistoric world.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes,
16 Mar. 2025
-
The arrowhead, found in a pit alongside other prehistoric features, was meticulously carved from flint using a technique called knapping.—
Stories by Real-Time news team, with AI summarization,
Miami Herald,
14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
In this twilight zone, extreme closeups of Maddie and Frank’s terrified eyes, the sudden depiction of the road in soft focus, and the forest’s AI-like rendering are downright disorienting.—
Ritesh Mehta,
IndieWire,
14 Mar. 2025
-
Among them was a trade group representing major foreign automakers like BMW, Honda, and Toyota—Autos Drive America—which agreed with Tesla that the USTR should slow Trump down and require considerations about long-term impacts of sudden actions to address unfair trade.—
Ars Technica,
Ars Technica,
14 Mar. 2025
Adverb
-
The trio of decision makers answered the former Seattle Seahawk’s trade request, and then Pittsburgh promptly extended the two-time Pro Bowler with a handsome new five-year, $150 million contract.—
Mike DeFabo,
The Athletic,
14 Mar. 2025
-
Follow evacuation orders: When local authorities issue an evacuation order, promptly comply.—
Southern California Weather Report,
Orange County Register,
13 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Early.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/early. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share