sooner

1 of 2

noun

soon·​er ˈsü-nər 

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

Examples of sooner in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

And this year, the Sooners are all about another transfer in quarterback John Mateer. —Chase Goodbread, The Tuscaloosa News, 30 July 2025

The Broncos have four former Sooners and five former Longhorns on their roster, so the Red River rivalry is alive and well on the Front Range. —Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 26 July 2025

Gabriel, a 2024 Heisman trophy finalist, finished 2023 with a 69.3% completion rate, 3,660 yards and 30 touchdowns, which led not only the Big 12, but also the Sooners back to double-digit wins. —Matt Byrne, Arkansas Online, 25 July 2025

If that happens, could the Tigers and Vols still place ahead of the Sooners in the standings? —Blake Toppmeyer, The Tennessean, 17 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

sooner, comparative of soon

First Known Use

Noun

1890, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing sooner

• no sooner
• no sooner said than done
• no sooner than
• sooner or later
• sooner rather than later
• would sooner

Rhymes for sooner

• lunar
• schooner
• spooner
• tuner
• lacunar
• semilunar