as in earlier
so as to precede something in order of time
when we got back to the house, the movers had already left
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 already
Kennedy expressed openness to building on modest reforms that already passed the House, chiefly more money for body cameras and de-escalation training.
—
David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 31 Jan. 2026
Fans of the show and the Julia Quinn novel series it’s based on are already speculating about who will star in Bridgerton Season 5.
—Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 30 Jan. 2026
Looking at a timeline of developments by decade, the 5-year span of the 2020s has already seen higher levels of construction, both completed and underway, in office, hotel and residential spaces.
—Charlotte Observer, 30 Jan. 2026
To an entire generation of hockey fans, Patrick Kane was already the greatest American player in NHL history.
—Max Bultman, New York Times, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for already
David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 31 Jan. 2026
Fans of the show and the Julia Quinn novel series it’s based on are already speculating about who will star in Bridgerton Season 5.
—Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 30 Jan. 2026
Looking at a timeline of developments by decade, the 5-year span of the 2020s has already seen higher levels of construction, both completed and underway, in office, hotel and residential spaces.
—Charlotte Observer, 30 Jan. 2026
To an entire generation of hockey fans, Patrick Kane was already the greatest American player in NHL history.
—Max Bultman, New York Times, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for already
Recent Examples of Synonyms for already
Adverb
-
That could change in quarters ahead due to skyrocketing memory prices.—
Jeff Marks,
CNBC,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Well up for the fight in front of their boisterous fans at the Estadio da Luz, however, Benfica went ahead 3-1 before half time and secured a heroic 4-2 win, plus qualification to the knockout phase playoff on goal difference, thanks to goalkeeper Anatoli Trubin’s 98th minute header.—
Tom Sanderson,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
Police previously said that a preliminary investigation indicated that a 16-year-old boy was driving a Jeep Wrangler while pulling the two girls on a sled.—
Stephen Sorace,
FOXNews.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Jessi Ebben, who previously ran for the western 3rd Congressional District, Ashland attorney Paul Wassgren and former Marathon County GOP chair Kevin Hermening are the other Republicans in the contest.—
Laura Schulte,
jsonline.com,
28 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
Lemon made his first public comments after federal authorities arrested him on Thursday for partaking in an anti-ICE protest at a Minnesota church earlier this month.—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
31 Jan. 2026
-
The House is expected to come back early next week to take up the Senate deal, which includes five spending bills but stripped out a bipartisan bill funding DHS until September and replaced it with a two-week bill.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
31 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
The mission, which aims to take its astronauts deeper into space than ever before, will hopefully pave the way for the return of humans to the surface of the moon for the first time since the breakthrough Apollo missions of the 1960s and 1970s.—
Brian Brant,
PEOPLE,
30 Jan. 2026
-
The city has been sued before over shelter dogs that severely injured people after their bite histories allegedly were not disclosed.—
Sandra McDonald,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Already.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/already. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
