at the earliest

phrase

—used to indicate the earliest possible time when something will happen or be done

The job will not be finished until next year at the (very) earliest.

Examples of at the earliest in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The summit, however, won’t happen until October at the earliest (in typical European fashion, the group doesn’t meet for much of the summer). — J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 22 July 2026

Tommy John surgery will likely keep Bumila out until late next season at the earliest. — Greg Dudek, Boston Herald, 21 July 2026

Britain’s consultation window closes September 22, the code of practice lands around year-end, and the first regulated sterling stablecoin arrives in 2027 at the earliest, five years after the Treasury first promised to make the UK a crypto hub. — Zennon Kapron, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026

Based on that timeline, Gueye’s re-evaluation won’t happen until mid-October at the earliest. — Lauren Williams, AJC.com, 16 July 2026