sooner; soonest
1
: without undue time lapse : before long
soon after sunrise
2
: in a prompt manner : speedily
as soon as possible
the sooner the better
no sooner said than done
3
: in agreement with one's choice or preference : willingly
I'd just as soon walk as drive
4
archaic
: before the usual time
5
obsolete
: at once : immediately
Usage of Safe
Both "drive safe" and "drive safely" are acceptable. Flat adverbs, as adverbs without -ly are called, are common in English; examples include soon in "see you soon" and fast in "time goes so fast." Adverbial safe functions in the same way these do.
Examples of soon in a Sentence
We will soon be making changes.
The soonest I can get there is tomorrow.
When is the soonest possible date of delivery?
The audience soon realized that it wasn't a stunt.
She found a job soon after graduation.
How soon can you finish the job?
The sooner you finish your homework, the sooner you can go outside and play.
I will let you know as soon as possible.
I'll get there as soon as I can.
Recent Examples on the Web
Consequently, when the next recession begins (perhaps sooner than later, according to historical analyses), the economic crisis will become so large that solutions dependent on improving patients’ health will be too small and take too long to succeed.
—
Robert Pearl, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Prices for tickets to the Denver Broncos AFC Championship game versus the New England Patriots at Empower Field at Mile High are coming back up again after sliding soon after the game was set.
—Alan Gionet, CBS News, 21 Jan. 2026
California will soon start transitioning back to cleaner summer gasoline, with most of the rest of the country following in a little over a month.
—Miami Herald, 20 Jan. 2026
The building, a former Gyro Shack, also has a drive-thru that should be up and running relatively soon after opening.
—Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 20 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for soon
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Robert Pearl, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Prices for tickets to the Denver Broncos AFC Championship game versus the New England Patriots at Empower Field at Mile High are coming back up again after sliding soon after the game was set.
—Alan Gionet, CBS News, 21 Jan. 2026
California will soon start transitioning back to cleaner summer gasoline, with most of the rest of the country following in a little over a month.
—Miami Herald, 20 Jan. 2026
The building, a former Gyro Shack, also has a drive-thru that should be up and running relatively soon after opening.
—Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 20 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for soon
Cite this Entry
“Soon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/soon. Accessed 21 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
soon
adverb
ˈsün 
especially New England ˈsu̇n
1
: before long : without delay
soon after sunrise
2
: in a speedy way
as soon as possible
3
archaic
: before the usual time
4
: by choice
would as soon do it now
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