sooner

1 of 2

noun

soon·​er ˈsü-nər How to pronounce sooner (audio)
plural sooners
1
: a person settling on land in the early West before its official opening to settlement in order to gain the prior claim allowed by law to the first settler after official opening
2
Sooner plural Sooners : a native or resident of Oklahoma
used as a nickname

sooner

2 of 2

comparative of soon

Word History

Etymology

Noun

sooner, comparative of soon

First Known Use

Noun

1890, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of sooner was in 1890

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Cite this Entry

“Sooner.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sooner. Accessed 9 Feb. 2026.

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