1
as in ancient
relating to or occurring near the beginning of a process, series, or time period
early birds of the Jurassic period
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in unexpected
occurring before the usual or expected time
we had an early dinner so as not to miss the concert
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in immediately
before the usual or expected time
that year spring arrived early
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of early
Kim Hjelmgaard, USA Today, 20 Feb. 2026
At Boy London, makeup artist Marike Thibaut achieved this look by gravitating to greige, a neutral that retains the frosted vibes of the early aughts but with a toasty finish for a modern edge.
—Kara Jillian Brown, InStyle, 19 Feb. 2026
Harriet Marsden, TheWeek, 20 Feb. 2026
In a conversation with lawmakers earlier this month, Department of Correction Commissioner Angel Quiros told members of the legislature’s Appropriations Committee that the state has passed all its federal PREA audits every year since 2016.
—Emilia Otte, Hartford Courant, 20 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for early
Adjective
Prince William, Mountbatten-Windsor's nephew, and Princess Kate are in support of King Charles III's earlier statement, USA TODAY understands.
—Kim Hjelmgaard, USA Today, 20 Feb. 2026
At Boy London, makeup artist Marike Thibaut achieved this look by gravitating to greige, a neutral that retains the frosted vibes of the early aughts but with a toasty finish for a modern edge.
—Kara Jillian Brown, InStyle, 19 Feb. 2026
Adverb
Artificial intelligence may help medics detect sepsis earlier.
—Harriet Marsden, TheWeek, 20 Feb. 2026
In a conversation with lawmakers earlier this month, Department of Correction Commissioner Angel Quiros told members of the legislature’s Appropriations Committee that the state has passed all its federal PREA audits every year since 2016.
—Emilia Otte, Hartford Courant, 20 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for early
Recent Examples of Synonyms for early
Adjective
-
Buying into this ancient predator-prey superstition are the nonprofits Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife and Utah Wild Sheep Foundation.—
Ted Williams,
Denver Post,
24 Feb. 2026
-
American geneticist Audrey Lin studies evolution using ancient DNA, with a particular focus on how dogs were domesticated.—
Veronique Greenwood,
Time,
24 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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As per the study, the fossils reveal a surprisingly diverse marine amphibian community that maintained unexpected transoceanic connections worldwide.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
23 Feb. 2026
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Here, a tray of fresh flowers and a bowl of vintage keys adds unexpected yet delightful style to an empty spot on the counter.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
23 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
Meyer, an at-times combative career litigator, was brought in from the NHL Players Association in 2018 to add muscle to a bargaining team that was viewed as having surrendered ground in the negotiations for the 2017-2021 CBA, which was almost immediately panned as a loss for the players.—
Hannah Keyser,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
-
McKinnor didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.—
Dakota Smith,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Treatments were so primitive that medical intervention scarcely worked into the equation.—
Steven Levingston,
Vanity Fair,
23 Feb. 2026
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And director Hammond doesn’t let the primitive miniseries technology defeat him.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
16 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Patrick was briefly removed for chest X-rays, which, as expected for a premature infant, revealed a haziness in the lungs.—
Steven Levingston,
Vanity Fair,
23 Feb. 2026
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The Biden administration at the time estimated the stricter standards would protect up to 900,000 infants from having low birth weight and avoid up to 1,500 premature deaths a year from heart disease.—
Michael Phillis,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
In Season 1, Owen Wilson stars as Pryce Cahill, who goes by the nickname Stick, an over-the-hill, ex-pro golfer whose career was derailed prematurely 20 years ago.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
17 Feb. 2026
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In Brontë’s novel, Catherine dies hours after her daughter, Cathy, is born prematurely.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
14 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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These very early prehistoric burials in southern England and Wales, because of their northern location, haven’t generally survived due to the glaciers that populated the area during the Ice Age.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Feb. 2026
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The new research focused on three Prototaxites fossils unearthed in the Rhynie chert, a prehistoric land ecosystem near Aberdeen, Scotland.—
Katie Hunt,
CNN Money,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Two years before Tony Clark’s sudden resignation made Bruce Meyer the head of the Major League Baseball Players Association, Meyer composed a letter to quiet the union members calling for his ouster.—
Andy McCullough,
New York Times,
19 Feb. 2026
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The Major League Baseball Players Association has elected a new executive director following the sudden departure of Tony Clark, who had led the union for over a decade.—
Hannah Keyser,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Early.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/early. Accessed 26 Feb. 2026.
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