early on

adverb

: at or during an early point or stage

the reasons were obvious early on in the experiment

Using Early on: Usage Guide

This adverb is sometimes objected to in American writing as an obtrusive Briticism. It is a relative newcomer to the language, having arisen in British English around 1928. It seems to have filled a need, however. It came into frequent use in American English in the late 1960s and is now well established on both sides of the Atlantic in both speech and writing.

Examples of early on in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In my experience, engaging a reputable accounting firm early on is one of the most impactful steps a founder can take. —Michael Platner, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025

Going back to Game of Thrones, one of that show’s greatest strengths (at least, early on) was its constant shift between characters and factions. —Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 27 May 2025

The lab's work dates to 1900, and even early on it was controversial. —Katheryn Houghton, NPR, 26 May 2025

In northeastern Ukraine, Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said early on Sunday that drones hit three city districts and injured three people. —Reuters, FOXNews.com, 26 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1759, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for early on

• aileron
• antiphon
• autobahn
• carillon
• castellan
• celadon
• cephalon
• chitosan
• cynodon
• denouement
• deuteron
• echelon

Kids Definition

early on

adverb

: at or during an early point or stage

had decided early on not to accept