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
Yoon was impeached and removed from office, and special investigations soon began into him, his wife, and his deputies, including his prime minister, who was sentenced last week to 23 years in prison.
—
Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 28 Jan. 2026
Even the nation’s paper of record, the highly respected New York Times, soon jumped on this story line.
—Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026
The university said that everyone involved left the building soon after the altercation.
—Dejanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 28 Jan. 2026
In fact, there is irritation about the level of criticism and a faction of the fanbase intent on pushing the idea that his job will surely be on the line if results do not improve soon.
—Andy Naylor, New York Times, 28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for soon
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Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 28 Jan. 2026
Even the nation’s paper of record, the highly respected New York Times, soon jumped on this story line.
—Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026
The university said that everyone involved left the building soon after the altercation.
—Dejanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 28 Jan. 2026
In fact, there is irritation about the level of criticism and a faction of the fanbase intent on pushing the idea that his job will surely be on the line if results do not improve soon.
—Andy Naylor, New York Times, 28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for soon
Cite this Entry
“Soon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/soon. Accessed 28 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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