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
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of early
Greg Myre, NPR, 8 Dec. 2024
Before that, Goodyear generally reported no more than two rapes between early 2020 and late 2022.
—Ronald J. Hansen, The Arizona Republic, 8 Dec. 2024
Dan Woike, Los Angeles Times, 7 Dec. 2024
In Louisiana, a law to place the Ten Commandments in all public classrooms was blocked by a federal judge earlier this month.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 23 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for early 
Adjective
With opposition forces entering the capital Damascus, Assad flew out of the city early Sunday morning, though there was no word on his exact whereabouts, according to Reuters.
—Greg Myre, NPR, 8 Dec. 2024
Before that, Goodyear generally reported no more than two rapes between early 2020 and late 2022.
—Ronald J. Hansen, The Arizona Republic, 8 Dec. 2024
Adverb
The Lakers, who have been in a lifeless slump for most of the last two weeks after a heartbreaking loss to Orlando and spirit-snapping one to familiar foe Denver, found an actual rhythm early in the second half.
—Dan Woike, Los Angeles Times, 7 Dec. 2024
In Louisiana, a law to place the Ten Commandments in all public classrooms was blocked by a federal judge earlier this month.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 23 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for early
Recent Examples of Synonyms for early
Adjective
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Last year, an ancient, still-active volcano was found off the Canadian coast, covered in millions of giant eggs laid by Pacific white skates (a hauntingly beautiful cartilaginous fish that looks like a stingray).Scott Travers, Forbes, 14 Dec. 2024
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The area buzzes with shops, restaurants, and landmarks such as the Mayan Museum of Cancun, with exhibitions showcasing ancient Mayan history and art and the adjacent San Miguelito Archeological Site of Mayan ruins.Dobrina Zhekova, Travel + Leisure, 13 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Recent examples, like Microsoft’s chatbot Tay, producing offensive content after manipulation, highlight AI’s vulnerabilities when exposed to unexpected inputs.Amir Hayeri, Forbes, 3 Dec. 2024
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Long COVID, though, was an unexpected legacy of the pandemic.Dan Horn, The Courier-Journal, 2 Dec. 2024
Adverb
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Trump's lawyers, who are pushing for the case to be dismissed entirely in light of his election victory, did not immediately respond.Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
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Bravo did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for confirmation at the time, but the network typically does not comment on casting.Angel Saunders, People.com, 11 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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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
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Many are primitive and remote, and don’t have restrooms or water.OregonLive.com, OregonLive.com, 12 July 2017
Adjective
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And this week, University of California Riverside and Caltech scientists published a study arguing that the air pollution from AI power plants and backup generators could result in 1,300 premature deaths a year in the U.S. by 2030.Andrew R. Chow, TIME, 11 Dec. 2024
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When decisions are still in flux, premature updates can lead to confusion instead of clarity.Antony Robinson, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Four of these teeth, now kept in a museum, were uncovered by quarryman Dave Brockhurst, who has collected thousands of fossil specimens of various prehistoric animals from the Ashdown Brickworks over the past three decades or so.Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2024
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According to the team, this combination of a variety of materials and advanced building techniques redefines the current understanding of the technologies prehistoric communities used.Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 5 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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If travel is absolutely necessary, drive with extreme caution and be prepared for sudden changes in visibility.Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 13 Dec. 2024
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At the time, Variety reported the sudden move was likely a way for Warner Bros. Discovery to cut streaming-content costs.Karu F. Daniels, New York Daily News, 14 Dec. 2024
Adverb
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Conducting training sessions focused on compliance awareness has further helped employees recognize and address risks promptly.Anushree Jain, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024
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How the two women came together is unclear; Kirk didn’t respond to a request for comment, and when contacted, Fuller promptly hung up the phone.Kim Masters, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near early
Cite this Entry
“Early.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/early. Accessed 19 Dec. 2024.
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