already

adverb

al·​ready ȯl-ˈre-dē 

ˈȯl-ˌre-dē

1

: prior to a specified or implied past, present, or future time : by this time : previously

He had already left when I called.

2

—used as an intensive

All right already.

Enough already!

Synonyms of already

• earlier
• ahead
• previously
• early
• before

Examples of already in a Sentence

They've already agreed to come.

I'd already left by the time you called.

He acted as if he didn't already know.

Flight 102 will already have taken off by the time Flight 101 lands.

Have they arrived already?! I'm still not dressed!

Do you have to go already?

Recent Examples on the Web

Any contending team could make a run at Imai, but he's already been vocal about his desire to play against and defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers. —Zach Pressnell, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Dec. 2025

The original estimate of 650,000, already a stunning figure, might not be high enough. —Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 7 Dec. 2025

Of course, that hasn’t stopped fans from already speculating about if and when a third Hollow Knight might come out. —Richard Newby, Time, 6 Dec. 2025

There's already a lot of congestion and traffic here next to Fort Mason. —Da Lin, CBS News, 6 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English al redy, from al redy, adjective, wholly ready, from al all + redy ready

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing already

• all right already

Rhymes for already

• unsteady
• heady
• ready
• reddi
• steady
• teddy
• thready

Kids Definition

already

adverb

al·​ready ȯl-ˈred-ē 

ˈȯl-ˌred-ē

: before a certain time : by the time

I had already left when you called