as in shortly
at or within a short time
the painters ought to be done before long
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of before long
The 20-year-old is currently around Spurs’ first-team squad, covering for long-term injury absentee Radu Dragusin, but will likely head out on loan before long.
—
Tim Spiers, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
Ophelia is driven to madness after the murder of her father and flaky romantic advances from Hamlet, and before long, takes her own life.
—Jaeden Pinder, Pitchfork, 3 Oct. 2025
Maybe that will turn up, too, before long, in Helsinki or Manila.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025
But before long his hearing begins to disappear, leading him down a panicked trail of denial, anger and desperation.
—Travis Bean, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for before long
Tim Spiers, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
Ophelia is driven to madness after the murder of her father and flaky romantic advances from Hamlet, and before long, takes her own life.
—Jaeden Pinder, Pitchfork, 3 Oct. 2025
Maybe that will turn up, too, before long, in Helsinki or Manila.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025
But before long his hearing begins to disappear, leading him down a panicked trail of denial, anger and desperation.
—Travis Bean, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for before long
Recent Examples of Synonyms for before long
Adverb
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He was reportedly seen carrying a gun in Plaza Mariachi shortly before the shooting happened.—
Gabrielle Chenault,
Nashville Tennessean,
6 Nov. 2025
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Trump was sentenced shortly before his January 20 inauguration for a second White House term.—
Reuters,
USA Today,
6 Nov. 2025
Adverb
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The entry of the American brand helped spur the rise of a thriving coffee culture among the burgeoning middle class of a country that traditionally drank tea, and Starbucks soon became a symbol of Western influence in a more affluent China.—
John Liu,
CNN Money,
5 Nov. 2025
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San Diego County’s social services could soon be expanding into a new frontier — primary care.—
Lucas Robinson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Before long.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/before%20long. Accessed 9 Nov. 2025.
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