at the earliest
idiom
—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
Meanwhile, New York’s governor Kathy Hochul recently announced that the state’s program will not be able to open until mid-November at the earliest.
—
Simmone Shah, Time, 28 Oct. 2025
All of them contributed to a defeat that prevented the Bears from earning bowl eligibility at the earliest date on the calendar since 2006.
—Jeff Faraudo, Mercury News, 25 Oct. 2025
Burrow is not expected to return to the field until just before Christmas, at the earliest.
—Josh Buckhalter, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
The tech industry is investing in advanced nuclear power, but these technologies are not expected to reach commercial scale until the 2030s at the earliest.
—Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for at the earliest
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Simmone Shah, Time, 28 Oct. 2025
All of them contributed to a defeat that prevented the Bears from earning bowl eligibility at the earliest date on the calendar since 2006.
—Jeff Faraudo, Mercury News, 25 Oct. 2025
Burrow is not expected to return to the field until just before Christmas, at the earliest.
—Josh Buckhalter, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
The tech industry is investing in advanced nuclear power, but these technologies are not expected to reach commercial scale until the 2030s at the earliest.
—Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for at the earliest
Cite this Entry
“At the earliest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/at%20the%20earliest. Accessed 1 Nov. 2025.
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