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
-
Sage Tate hit another 3 to cap a 9-0 run and put Iowa ahead 71-65.—
Kristie Rieken,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026 -
The Aztecc surged ahead 65-63 by end the end of the third quarter.—
Shreyas Laddha,
Kansas City Star,
27 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
Number 17 in the current THSB Private Large Schools rankings, Grace Prep could be moving up in that poll next week after a 4-3 victory over No 4 Fort Worth Christian earlier this week.—
Mike Waters,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Unable to secure a Miami venue in time to meet the MLS deadline, the Beckham-Mas group invested upwards of $100 million to build a stadium and training facility in Broward County, on the grounds of the former Lockhart Stadium, the very same place Horowitz resorted to three decades earlier.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
28 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
Steyer faced questions about his offshore investments before.—
Ben Paviour,
Sacbee.com,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Moustache joined my plump tortoiseshell Toffee, the progeny of frisky barn cats, an elderly rabbit rescued from neglect, and my best friend Bacon, a good dog adopted from Lifeline Puppy Rescue years before.—
Krista Kafer,
Denver Post,
27 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
This time, however, travelers are already facing long lines and delays due to the ongoing partial government shutdown, which has left thousands of TSA workers without pay.—
De'Anthony Taylor,
Baltimore Sun,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Outside, my father was already chipping ice from the windshield of our rusted station wagon.—
Zayd Ayers Dohrn,
New Yorker,
28 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
Samsung Browser is now officially available on Windows devices after a six-month test, bringing the previously exclusive mobile browser to desktop for the first time.—
James Peckham,
PC Magazine,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Josh had previously admitted to molesting multiple girls as a teen, including some of his sisters, but charges were never filed.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
26 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Earlier.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/earlier. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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