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

The glider chairs, though, are already sold out in a few colors, so act fast. —Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Feb. 2026

OpenAI was comfortable with the lack of restrictions because so many safeguards were already built into its models, according to people familiar with the matter. —Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 28 Feb. 2026

Neto and Fernandez, on the other hand, have both already recorded their best-ever goalscoring tallies for Chelsea this season. —Cerys Jones, New York Times, 28 Feb. 2026

And now the Panthers’ already thin hopes to make a run to get into the Stanley Cup playoffs are getting thinner. —Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 28 Feb. 2026

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