sooner or later

adverb

Synonyms of sooner or laternext
: at some uncertain future time : sometime

Examples of sooner or later in a Sentence

sooner or later, the police are going to track down the burglar
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Edmonton Oilers’ offseason received a jolt on Thursday after an article from Mark Spector at Sportsnet outlined that the Oilers and veteran defenceman Darnell Nurse are reaching a crossroads that will, sooner or later, see a parting of ways. Allan Mitchell, New York Times, 5 June 2026 Ask artists what success looks like and, sooner or later, a gallery enters the conversation. Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 3 June 2026 The presumption, then, was that FIFA would indeed attempt to offload every single one sooner or later. Ian Nicholas Quillen, Forbes.com, 19 May 2026 But this ambitious vision, which many in the sector think will become reality sooner or later, worries atmospheric researchers. Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 18 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for sooner or later

Word History

First Known Use

1577, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sooner or later was in 1577

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Cite this Entry

“Sooner or later.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sooner%20or%20later. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.

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