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.
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Recent Examples of early
Richard Brody, New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2026
Each ringlet of pasta is wrapped around a thin rod, just like the earliest pasta makers did, dating back to the year 1,000, according to Barsotti’s research.
—Sarah Blaskovich, Dallas Morning News, 26 Mar. 2026
CBS News, 28 Mar. 2026
Kansas City Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia stumbled early in Friday’s season opener against the Atlanta Braves.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 28 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for early
Adjective
Haghighi also launches the story back beyond the Shah’s regime into earlier eras of Persian culture and into the history of Qeshm itself, where the English explorer William Baffin was killed in 1622.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2026
Each ringlet of pasta is wrapped around a thin rod, just like the earliest pasta makers did, dating back to the year 1,000, according to Barsotti’s research.
—Sarah Blaskovich, Dallas Morning News, 26 Mar. 2026
Adverb
Lebanese media reported an Israeli strike hit Beirut's southern suburbs early Friday.
—CBS News, 28 Mar. 2026
Kansas City Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia stumbled early in Friday’s season opener against the Atlanta Braves.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 28 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for early
Recent Examples of Synonyms for early
Adjective
-
The layout of the common areas is reminiscent of traditional ancient Roman housing (there are a lot of curves), albeit with bright walls plastered with contemporary artwork by local and international artists.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 Mar. 2026
-
And now a new study of ancient grape seeds found across France adds to the puzzle, revealing that humans have been consuming at least one grape variety for hundreds of years.—
Jackie Flynn Mogensen,
Scientific American,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
From a souvenir ferry boat filled with fish and chips to ice cream in the shape of a chicken drumstick, here's a first look at the bold, indulgent and unexpected food lineup across the MLB.—
Kelly McCarthy,
ABC News,
23 Mar. 2026
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The Angels balanced some of those negatives by getting an unexpected breakthrough from outfielder Jo Adell and better health from Trout, who had only played 29 games in 2024.—
Jeff Fletcher,
Oc Register,
23 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
Additional details about the attack weren’t immediately available Wednesday.—
Tanya Babbar,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Details on when the council will meet were not immediately clear.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
There are nine primitive, tent-only sites without electric access.—
Aurora Beacon-News,
Chicago Tribune,
23 Mar. 2026
-
Anacapa Island, for instance, has no services aside from some primitive campsites, a lighthouse and limited hiking options, but is also a major seabird rookery from April to August, which translates to lots of bird poop, noise, bird carcasses and territorial bird behavior.—
Kate Bradshaw,
Mercury News,
23 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Fear creeps in as cases continue to rise The lack of official narrative may have led local folks to a premature sense of safety, believing that the outbreak had ended even as cases continue to add up.—
Deidre McPhillips,
CNN Money,
23 Mar. 2026
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Research shows that patients who distrust their health care providers are more likely to delay care, including preventive screenings, and discontinue their medications, and that those patterns are associated with higher rates of hospitalization and premature death.—
Oni Blackstock,
STAT,
23 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
The hip injury that prematurely ended his college career.—
Daniel Flick - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution,
AJC.com,
25 Mar. 2026
-
The infant girl was delivered in the emergency room prematurely and had major health issues, including respiratory problems, the report says.—
Nicole Duarte,
NBC news,
20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Visitors can learn about the area’s prehistoric past at this walk-through exhibition on the shore of Grapevine Lake, with hands-on activities for the whole family.—
Travis Pinson,
Dallas Morning News,
19 Mar. 2026
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The findings, which published February 19 in the journal Science, suggest that the prehistoric creature is a close relative of Spinosaurus aegyptiacus, a giant fish-eating dinosaur with a sail across its back, first described in 1915 by German paleontologist Ernst Stromer von Reichenbach.—
Lily Hautau,
CNN Money,
19 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Earthquakes' sudden, rapid shaking can cause fires, tsunamis, landslides or avalanches.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
26 Mar. 2026
-
The sudden rise of Tyler Ballgame from the Eagle Rock scene is something Perry seems to feel some ambivalence about.—
Jonathan Bernstein,
Rolling Stone,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Early.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/early. Accessed 29 Mar. 2026.
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