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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of early
Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 19 June 2026
Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo, Croatia's Luka Modric, Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, and Cape Verde's goalkeeper Vozinha, who's an early star of the tournament.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 19 June 2026
Dillon Thomas, CBS News, 20 June 2026
The first came earlier this month in a 15-14 loss to Milwaukee in Las Vegas.
—Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for early
Adjective
He was chased from the game after allowing seven early runs.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 19 June 2026
Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo, Croatia's Luka Modric, Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, and Cape Verde's goalkeeper Vozinha, who's an early star of the tournament.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 19 June 2026
Adverb
On May 29, Engen and his wife welcomed their son, Henry, 10 weeks early.
—Dillon Thomas, CBS News, 20 June 2026
The first came earlier this month in a 15-14 loss to Milwaukee in Las Vegas.
—Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for early
Recent Examples of Synonyms for early
Adjective
-
The neighborhood/area The Icelandic Highlands are an incredibly special part of the country—uninhabited and covered with sprawling mountains and ancient volcanoes.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 June 2026
-
The air carries the scent of earth after rain — damp ancient stone, cellar walls, perhaps a trace of smoke.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 June 2026
Adjective
-
But in mid-June, Turner was already a three-win player, combining his usual offensive prowess with an unexpected improvement with the glove.—
Stephen J. Nesbitt,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
-
The chance encounter highlights how police work can take unexpected turns, even during assignments unrelated to violent crime.—
CBS News Philadelphia Staff,
CBS News,
15 June 2026
Adverb
-
The company, which aired the UFC event live in theaters, did not immediately respond to an inquiry from USA TODAY.—
Marc Ramirez,
USA Today,
18 June 2026
-
White was arrested a few days later and charged with assault for allegedly slapping Kyng in February 2025 after Kyng urinated on himself, but charges related to the child's death were not immediately filed.—
Katie Houlis,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
Adjective
-
But the primitive areas of our brains still have connections from when our ancestors relied on smell to survive.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Charlotte Observer,
16 June 2026
-
In another story, set in the far future, a scientist who had disappeared decades earlier reappears in an emergency shuttle, claiming to have been saved by a technologically primitive alien race.—
Alexandra Oliva,
The Atlantic,
12 June 2026
Adjective
-
More air pollution will mean more preventable health issues and premature deaths.—
Chris Hartmann,
New York Daily News,
16 June 2026
-
But the dismissal was premature.—
Steve Denning,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
Adverb
-
Fidone was sidelined in the spring by a setback with the foot injury that ended his rookie season prematurely.—
Dan Duggan,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
-
Withdrawing even a portion of them prematurely will trigger an early withdrawal penalty, which could be significant on account of this size and length.—
Matt Richardson,
CBS News,
16 June 2026
Adjective
-
In prehistoric times, that blue sensitivity would have meant that melatonin production fired up a couple of hours after sunset and shut down just before sunrise.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 June 2026
-
The team found that the prehistoric plague developed in stages and infected several small families.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 June 2026
Adjective
-
Authorities said that in the days leading up to her disappearance, Moore exhibited behavior that was out of character, including a sudden absence and an abrupt change in social media presence, according to ABC News.—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
18 June 2026
-
His sudden passing has left his wife, Pamela, to raise their two children alone, Melissa Lynch, a family friend wrote in a GoFundMe campaign statement.—
Reeti Malhotra,
Sacbee.com,
18 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Early.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/early. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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