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

Those who recognize and address risks early on not only protect their domain, but also their digital future. —Daniel Strauss, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025

Ruth prepares those sandwiches, early on, for herself and her son, Steve (H. Jon Benjamin). —Justin Chang, New Yorker, 19 June 2025

But then Trump left the G7 early on Monday to deal with the escalating Israel-Iran conflict. —David Goldman, CNN Money, 19 June 2025

Questions have been asked about Szoboszlai’s contribution in possession, and Slot demanded more output from him early on in the campaign. —Andy Jones, New York Times, 18 June 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