sooner; soonest
1
: without undue time lapse : before long
soon after sunrise
2
: in a prompt manner : speedily
as soon as possible
the sooner the better
no sooner said than done
3
: in agreement with one's choice or preference : willingly
I'd just as soon walk as drive
4
archaic
: before the usual time
5
obsolete
: at once : immediately
Usage of Safe
Both "drive safe" and "drive safely" are acceptable. Flat adverbs, as adverbs without -ly are called, are common in English; examples include soon in "see you soon" and fast in "time goes so fast." Adverbial safe functions in the same way these do.
Examples of soon in a Sentence
We will soon be making changes.
The soonest I can get there is tomorrow.
When is the soonest possible date of delivery?
The audience soon realized that it wasn't a stunt.
She found a job soon after graduation.
How soon can you finish the job?
The sooner you finish your homework, the sooner you can go outside and play.
I will let you know as soon as possible.
I'll get there as soon as I can.
Recent Examples on the Web
After the photographer captured a few snaps, Powell ran up behind his soon-to-be bride, greeted her with a kiss, and led her to a sunny spot on the beach before dropping to one knee to pop the question.
—
Amy McCarthy, PEOPLE, 30 Dec. 2025
Community members soon raised alarms.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 30 Dec. 2025
After hearing about the property and what the Robertson’s planned to do with it, Pierce was in, and soon the creative team found a partner in Great American Media.
—Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Dec. 2025
Disconcerted by the apartment’s elderly tenants and their overt interest in her pregnancy, Rosemary soon becomes convinced that her neighbors are using her as a Satanic surrogate and intend to include her unborn child in their demonic rituals.
—Ilana Gordon, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for soon
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Amy McCarthy, PEOPLE, 30 Dec. 2025
Community members soon raised alarms.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 30 Dec. 2025
After hearing about the property and what the Robertson’s planned to do with it, Pierce was in, and soon the creative team found a partner in Great American Media.
—Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Dec. 2025
Disconcerted by the apartment’s elderly tenants and their overt interest in her pregnancy, Rosemary soon becomes convinced that her neighbors are using her as a Satanic surrogate and intend to include her unborn child in their demonic rituals.
—Ilana Gordon, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for soon
Cite this Entry
“Soon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/soon. Accessed 6 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
soon
adverb
ˈsün 
especially New England ˈsu̇n
1
: before long : without delay
soon after sunrise
2
: in a speedy way
as soon as possible
3
archaic
: before the usual time
4
: by choice
would as soon do it now
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