EARLY Synonyms: 72 Similar and Opposite Words

early 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of early

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

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

early

2 of 2

adverb

ˈər-lē

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. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of early

Adjective

The game commenced with four unanswered scores from Jenks and sloppy play from Southlake Carroll that included a handful of early penalties, messy substitutions and a lack of rhythm. — Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Aug. 2026 Fiction writers and poets, from Henry James to Walt Whitman, have revised and reissued early works. — ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026

Adverb

Three winemakers earlier this month filed suit against the owner of Hundred Acre Wines, Jayson Woodbridge, and his company alleging that smoke from the wildfire ruined their harvests, the Press Democrat reported. — Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026 Both of his runs of 30-plus yards — the 36-yard scamper on the opening drive and a 38-yard run early in the second quarter — put North Miami Beach into the red zone. — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for early

Recent Examples of Synonyms for early

Adjective

After becoming a daily fixture in the 1990s, blackouts have worsened since 2024, when Cuba’s ancient power grid began to collapse and Soviet-era electrical stations began failing more frequently.

— Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 31 Aug. 2026
Its towering basalt cliffs formed as ancient volcanic rock cooled and fractured.

— Sarah Kingdom, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of ancient

Adjective

Alongside grapefruit and bergamot, an Earl Grey tea accord adds unexpected warmth.

— Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 3 Sep. 2026
An unexpected benefit of this process is that its solid carbon byproduct turned out to be graphite, a material used in batteries and electrodes that the US currently imports.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of unexpected

Adverb

But that bipartisan effort was immediately panned by conservative groups, and little else has emerged as a serious solution.

— Ashley Lopez, NPR, 28 Aug. 2026
Though freshman Jackson Cantwell likely could have stepped in immediately at left tackle, the junior Okunlola has the game experience (albeit mostly at guard) that should serve him well in taking on the opponent’s best edge rusher.

— Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of immediately

Adjective

When the Followers began, healthcare on the Western frontier was primitive, unsanitary and riddled with con artists peddling fake cures.

— Audrey Dutton, ProPublica, 25 Aug. 2026
In an early study, researchers collected about five hours of primitive tennis movements from amateur players using a compact motion-capture setup.

— Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of primitive

Adjective

The Supreme Court, in a brief order last week, found that an earlier challenge to Trump’s executive order was premature because USPS had not yet issued a final rule.

— Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 31 Aug. 2026
Infections during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery or life-threatening infection of the newborn.

— Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of premature

Adverb

Salesforce’s recent blowout earnings show why the balance of power may be shifting away from frontier models and back toward software companies that investors had prematurely left for dead.

— Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Steven Tian and Stephen Henriques, CNBC, 29 Aug. 2026
The girls have faced numerous health challenges since being born prematurely at 30 weeks, including brain bleeds, cardiac arrest and stroke, and have been in and out of hospitals for much of their lives.

— Erin Clack, PEOPLE, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of prematurely

Adjective

Another, Undine kommt (Undine Comes), 2025, has its head in profile with a frontal eye, evoking the conventions of ancient Egyptian art and prehistoric female figurines, motifs that permeate Stötzer’s drawings, writings, and costumes.

— Elisa R. Linn, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026
Beyond art, Griffin has also been a major buyer of important documents and prehistoric fossils.

— Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of prehistoric

Adjective

Officials are still investigating the exact cause, though preliminary assessments suggest an ice avalanche may have blocked a river upstream in Tibet, triggering the sudden outburst flood.

— Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
The concierge can be contacted via WhatsApp, but response times can be slow during varying rush hours; for example, a sudden tropical rainstorm might inspire half the resort to call in for room service.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of sudden

Browse Nearby Words

earls

early

earmark

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Style

“Early.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/early. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of early

adjective

adverb

Example Sentences

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