before long

adverb

: in the near future : soon

Examples of before long in a Sentence

the painters ought to be done before long
Recent Examples on the Web But before long, the crackdown on independent reporting began in earnest. Vivian Wang, New York Times, 13 May 2024 But before long there were also scientific references to keystone herbivores, keystone plants, keystone pollinators, even keystone pathogens. Lesley Evans Ogden, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 May 2024 Middleton said crews usually buy personal toiletries and snacks before long trips. Trevor Hughes, USA TODAY, 26 Mar. 2024 Other automakers dismissed the car as a curiosity, but the Prius was a hit, and before long G.M., Ford and others developed their own hybrids. Neal E. Boudette, New York Times, 9 Mar. 2024 The couple tended to the flowers over the next few weeks, and before long, green shoots began to sprout, followed by budding flowers. Escher Walcott, Peoplemag, 27 Feb. 2024 Soltani hopes the impasse will end before long and said the challenge will be creating a safe space for differing perspectives while providing context for a conflict that has raged off and on for seven decades. Marc Ramirez, USA TODAY, 4 Apr. 2024 But before long the word acquired a secondary meaning, designating a rupture that renders everything utterly different. Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2024 Louis and Peggy were married, and before long were living on Long Island with two little girls, first Cinthea, and then Candice, born in 1950. Margaret Talbot, The New Yorker, 18 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'before long.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1585, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of before long was in 1585

Dictionary Entries Near before long

Cite this Entry

“Before long.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/before%20long. Accessed 23 May. 2024.

Kids Definition

before long

adverb
: in the near future : soon

More from Merriam-Webster on before long

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