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
Rino Lu, Variety, 30 Apr. 2026
On her new album, though, this once-and-future country queen leans back into the twangier sounds of her earliest releases to bring the spirit of her home state into focus.
—Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 30 Apr. 2026
Luke Chinman, PEOPLE, 1 May 2026
Rivas was 13 when she was last seen by her family earlier that month, prior to running off for the second time.
—Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for early
Adjective
Bi has been aware of his own creative voice from an early stage, including recurring elements such as dreams and the treatment of time and space.
—Rino Lu, Variety, 30 Apr. 2026
On her new album, though, this once-and-future country queen leans back into the twangier sounds of her earliest releases to bring the spirit of her home state into focus.
—Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 30 Apr. 2026
Adverb
The hearing, which was livestreamed, marked the first time the pair had publicly appeared together since news broke of multiple domestic violence investigations involving them earlier this year.
—Luke Chinman, PEOPLE, 1 May 2026
Rivas was 13 when she was last seen by her family earlier that month, prior to running off for the second time.
—Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for early
Recent Examples of Synonyms for early
Adjective
-
Summer means movies 🍿 From ancient Greece to a galaxy far, far away, the summer movie season has a blockbuster lineup of epic, sci-fi, superheroes and heroines to draw film fans to theaters.—
Phaedra Trethan,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Each year, the city welcomes many curious visitors to experience the magnetism of ancient tradition meeting futuristic technology head-on.—
Condé Nast Traveler,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
An unexpected new burst of infamy arrived in 2011, when the motto appeared at SlutWalk NYC, a feminist protest, on a sign held by a protester—a white woman, as far as anyone could tell.—
Kelefa Sanneh,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
In another unexpected turn of events, meme stock GameStop made a bid to fully acquire e-commerce platform eBay.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
4 May 2026
Adverb
-
Neither Moorer nor his attorney could immediately be reached for comment.—
Jason Meisner,
Chicago Tribune,
7 May 2026
-
His condition was not immediately clear.—
Kerry Burke,
New York Daily News,
7 May 2026
Adjective
-
This was a time when roads were primitive, and the need was to link cities with rural areas.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Any set of prime numbers is automatically primitive, because primes have no factors (except themselves and the number one).—
Joseph Howlett,
Scientific American,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Other risks associated with poor air quality include premature death and low birth weight.—
Natassia Paloma,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Researchers also found oxybenzone damages DNA and triggers premature skeleton formation that can encase entire larvae.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
Minter underwent surgery to repair the tear, ending his season prematurely.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
7 May 2026
-
The decision is the latest blow for Abbott over the issue of whether its formula for babies born prematurely causes a devastating intestinal disease called necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC).—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
6 May 2026
Adjective
-
In the garden, his massive stone monoliths seem almost prehistoric.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 May 2026
-
Sites that preserve soft-bodied organisms are even rarer because soft tissues decompose more easily, making these places especially useful for piecing together prehistoric ecosystems.—
Marlowe Starling,
Quanta Magazine,
1 May 2026
Adjective
-
If the arteries are leading to the brain, symptoms may involve sudden numbness or weakness in the arms or legs, trouble speaking, slurred speech, sudden or temporary vision loss in one eye or facial drooping.—
Charles Trepany,
USA Today,
6 May 2026
-
The vote of confidence from Multicoin continued what has been a sudden revival of interest in Zcash, which first launched in 2016.—
Jack Kubinec,
Fortune,
6 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Early.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/early. Accessed 7 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
