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
The semi-finals soon get underway and The Athletic will have live coverage of both first legs on Tuesday and Wednesday.
—
The Athletic Live Team, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
The neighborhood/area Located a 25-minute drive down the coast from the Moroccan capital Rabat, the hotel is surrounded by a residential neighborhood, and will soon be joined by a waterpark.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Apr. 2026
The county soon developed an interest in the land occupied by the golf course.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 27 Apr. 2026
So, at the end of the day, neither side is likely to fold on the economic pressure anytime soon.
—Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 27 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for soon
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The Athletic Live Team, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
The neighborhood/area Located a 25-minute drive down the coast from the Moroccan capital Rabat, the hotel is surrounded by a residential neighborhood, and will soon be joined by a waterpark.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Apr. 2026
The county soon developed an interest in the land occupied by the golf course.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 27 Apr. 2026
So, at the end of the day, neither side is likely to fold on the economic pressure anytime soon.
—Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 27 Apr. 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 Apr. 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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