early on

adverb

: at or during an early point or stage

the reasons were obvious early on in the experiment

Using Early on: Usage Guide

This adverb is sometimes objected to in American writing as an obtrusive Briticism. It is a relative newcomer to the language, having arisen in British English around 1928. It seems to have filled a need, however. It came into frequent use in American English in the late 1960s and is now well established on both sides of the Atlantic in both speech and writing.

Examples of early on in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Instead, establish a rhythm of connection early on. —Raquel Gomes, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2025

That mentality, in addition to so many of the transfers being older, fairly experienced players, has helped accelerate the adjustment process early on. —Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 5 Aug. 2025

Once the film went into production, Giacchino was able to make a set visit early on and further tailor his musical language to reflect the shine and the color of the film’s look. —Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 5 Aug. 2025

But also recognizing that life is long and in the span of it, 21 is still pretty early on in there to be making huge, huge life decisions. —Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 2 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1759, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for early on

• aileron
• antiphon
• autobahn
• carillon
• castellan
• celadon
• cephalon
• chitosan
• cynodon
• denouement
• deuteron
• echelon

Kids Definition

early on

adverb

: at or during an early point or stage

had decided early on not to accept