earlier

so as to precede something in order of time he had arrived earlier to take care of some preliminary matters Synonyms afore [chiefly dialect], already, antecedently, anteriorly, before, beforehand, ahead, formerly, preliminarily, previouslyRelated Words a priori, early, prematurely; first, first off, now; before long, erelong [archaic], presently, shortly, soonNear Antonyms behind, by and by, next, subsequentlyAntonyms after, afterward (or afterwards), later