as in ahead
so as to precede something in order of time
he had arrived earlier to take care of some preliminary matters
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for earlier
Adverb
-
Keeping his foot on the gas also means pushing ahead with reforms.—
Monroe Trombly,
Louisville Courier Journal,
2 Oct. 2025 -
Celebrities have been breaking out their leather pants as of late, providing fresh outfit inspiration for the next few weeks of transitional dressing ahead.—
Kristina Rutkowski,
Vogue,
1 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
Democrats want to overturn spending cuts Republicans approved earlier in the year for Medicaid, which provides health insurance for Americans living in or near poverty, and extend insurance subsidies created by the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
4 Oct. 2025
-
That big package that got final approval in July included dozens of changes, including the new Medicaid and Obamacare restrictions mentioned earlier.—
Todd Spangler,
Freep.com,
4 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
Monday’s classes had been cancelled after a deadly attack the day before at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints a half-mile away.—
John Wisely,
Freep.com,
3 Oct. 2025
-
The journalists were among 15 people arrested during the July 17 demonstration held in support of Imam Ayman Soliman, an Egyptian immigrant and former Cincinnati Children's chaplain who was detained by ICE several days before.—
Quinlan Bentley,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
2 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
But it’s been so dry this late summer that half the leaves have already dropped brown.—
Paul Cappiello,
Louisville Courier Journal,
3 Oct. 2025
-
This means that fans who haven't already placed their order won't be eligible for the free loaf anymore.—
Melina Khan,
USA Today,
3 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
Officials previously asked for the public's help in identifying a suspect.—
Matthew Cupelli,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
4 Oct. 2025
-
The skillet beef and white queso were previously one of the least popular menu items, Chili’s said in its release, only accounting for less than 1 percent of sales.—
Suzanne Blake,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Earlier.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/earlier. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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