1
as in ancient
relating to or occurring near the beginning of a process, series, or time period
early birds of the Jurassic period
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in unexpected
occurring before the usual or expected time
we had an early dinner so as not to miss the concert
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in immediately
before the usual or expected time
that year spring arrived early
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of early
Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
When Ferrari first unveiled the Purosangue back in 2022, early marketing messaging attempted to portray the new model as anything but an SUV.
—Michael Teo Van Runkle, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Michael Butler, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2026
Her department said earlier this week that Homeland Security Investigations, a unit within the department, would be heading the investigation.
—Michael Biesecker, Los Angeles Times, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for early
Adjective
During those early virus days, younger musicians again looked to him, for their own COVID projects.
—Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
When Ferrari first unveiled the Purosangue back in 2022, early marketing messaging attempted to portray the new model as anything but an SUV.
—Michael Teo Van Runkle, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Adverb
Girl Scouts help sell cookies as early as age 5, stretching into their high school years.
—Michael Butler, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2026
Her department said earlier this week that Homeland Security Investigations, a unit within the department, would be heading the investigation.
—Michael Biesecker, Los Angeles Times, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for early
Recent Examples of Synonyms for early
Adjective
-
The unique find follows a long list of discoveries related to ancient Rome in recent months.—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
28 Jan. 2026
-
The bronze doors and concrete walls with remarkably few windows looked ancient, and the building more closely resembled a student dormitory awaiting demolition than an institution where precious cultural assets from around the world were collected and stored.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
While the actual commercial will have to wait for Super Bowl Sunday, the Bosch teaser is another example of brands leaning on star power and unexpected humor to stand out in the weeks ahead of the game.—
Alex Weprin,
HollywoodReporter,
26 Jan. 2026
-
To keep this oversized look from appearing stale, designers are being a bit more playful in their approach to silhouettes, balancing shorter crops with a wider hem or bringing an unexpected fabric into the mix.—
Brett F. Braley-Palko,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
Officers immediately tackled and arrested Kazmierczak, who was jailed on a preliminary third-degree assault charge, police spokesperson Trevor Folke said.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Instead of waiting for her director to share the data, Amber replied immediately to these emails.—
Chris Lipp,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Mobile computing started with devices that now seem laughably primitive.—
Tim Bajarin,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
-
That means camping at the stunning Roaring Brook Campground is primitive (and only an option in the summer), so make sure to pack plenty of water, food, and headlamps.—
Evie Carrick,
Travel + Leisure,
21 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Diego Megia’s hedge fund firm Taula Capital Management has hired the former chair of the UK’s fiscal watchdog who resigned following the premature publication of the autumn budget.—
Nishant Kumar,
Bloomberg,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont reportedly wants to see the trio of Davis, Irving and Flagg on the floor before making any premature decisions.—
Mike Curtis,
Dallas Morning News,
27 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
There’s an ongoing jazz renaissance in Los Angeles, one loosely rooted in the genre’s prematurely and cyclically proclaimed death — the same way the city’s celebrities tend to become franchises in the afterlife, worth more dead than alive.—
Celina Pereira,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Their gross mismanagement of the situation ultimately led to an innocent American, who was only trying to document the actions of ICE and the Border Patrol by lawfully videoing them using his cell phone, having his young life prematurely snuffed out.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Officials recently flagged signs at Big Bend National Park in Texas that referenced geology, fossils, and prehistoric history, some of which were written in both Spanish and English.—
Outside,
Outside,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Each time the movie cuts back to its prehistoric section is a welcome relief.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Loose, fast, and slightly jerky steps, a sudden joy sweeping through the body like a wind.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
-
This design helps prevent the air from escaping during sudden movements or changes in orientation.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
28 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Early.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/early. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.
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