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
Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 24 June 2025
The New York City Board of Elections reported that its unofficial count of early votes in 2025 is 384,338, while AMNY reported that the board said 191,197 people voted early in 2021.
—James Powel, USA Today, 24 June 2025
Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 23 June 2025
It was reportedly taken in Windsor earlier this month.
—Lissete Lanuza Sáenz, StyleCaster, 23 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for early
Adjective
In the preview, the early stages of the game were omitted, leaving players to start further into the game after meeting Puck, the pseudo-robotic looking version of Pac-Man that serves as a partner and guide.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 24 June 2025
The New York City Board of Elections reported that its unofficial count of early votes in 2025 is 384,338, while AMNY reported that the board said 191,197 people voted early in 2021.
—James Powel, USA Today, 24 June 2025
Adverb
The team published its findings in the journal Science earlier this month.
—Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 23 June 2025
It was reportedly taken in Windsor earlier this month.
—Lissete Lanuza Sáenz, StyleCaster, 23 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for early
Recent Examples of Synonyms for early
Adjective
-
The Virtual Telescope Program has announced a livestream to mark World Asteroid Day on June 30, which will feature real-time views of near-Earth asteroids while discussing the characteristics and impact risks posed by the enigmatic chunks of ancient debris.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
30 June 2025
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Courtesy of David Bustos/White Sands National Park Using new radiocarbon dating on ancient footprints found preserved in the gypsum-rich ground in White Sands, researchers have now confirmed that humans roamed North America 23,000 years ago.—
Jay Kakade
June 30,
New Atlas,
30 June 2025
Adjective
-
Aquarius: Eclectic nostalgia Original and unexpected, Aquarius mixes cutting-edge trends with their own unique flair.—
Meghan Rose,
Glamour,
1 July 2025
-
Playing his career for the Nashville Predators, Tampa Bay Lightning and Los Angeles Kings show a perfect example of an unexpected pay cut for a player.—
Tyler Small,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
Adverb
-
The left-sided centre-back was immediately loaned back to her previous club, PSV, then broke into the Netherlands team at the start of the season.—
The Athletic UK Staff,
New York Times,
27 June 2025
-
OpenAI and Meta did not immediately respond to requests for comment.—
Amanda Gerut,
Fortune,
27 June 2025
Adjective
-
Houde said these mammoth animals are a primitive group of proboscideans ('elephantoids') from which modern elephants evolved.—
Joseph J. Kolb,
Fox News,
18 July 2017
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Many are primitive and remote, and don’t have restrooms or water.—
OregonLive.com,
OregonLive.com,
12 July 2017
Adjective
-
Each person was encouraged to write down and bring their ideas into the meeting, ensuring a diverse set of thoughts and avoiding premature consensus.—
Derek Richardson,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
-
That’s big, because the benefits of fiber can affect your whole body; getting enough can lower your risk for colon cancer, cardiovascular disease, and other serious health conditions (and even premature death).—
Caroline Tien,
SELF,
26 June 2025
Adjective
-
Overall, the graves have slowly revealed new clues about the prehistoric society that lived in the region thousands of years ago.—
Sonja Anderson,
Smithsonian Magazine,
30 June 2025
-
Director Gareth Edwards and screenwriter David Koepp give EW the inside scoop on creating these prehistoric monsters.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
30 June 2025
Adjective
-
Her husband had always had a soft spot for yams and was glad for the sudden bounty.—
Zadie Smith,
New Yorker,
30 June 2025
-
Her particular specialism is making sudden bursts towards the near post, staying in the defender’s blind spot before suddenly jumping ahead of her marker to turn home a simple chance, often laid on a plate at club level by Caroline Graham Hansen, with whom Pajor also worked well at Wolfsburg.—
Michael Cox,
New York Times,
30 June 2025
Adverb
-
Deputies promptly secured the scene and returned the following day with agents and analysts from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI), as well as two cadaver dog teams from Colorado Forensic Canines, authorities added.—
Toria Sheffield,
People.com,
28 June 2025
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This depends on your criteria, but UEFA Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain came into this tournament as the presumptive best team and promptly produced the most impressive win of the group stage, dismantling Atletico Madrid 4-0 in the sweltering heat of the Rose Bowl.—
The Athletic Staff,
New York Times,
28 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Early.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/early. Accessed 7 Jul. 2025.
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