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
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Recent Examples of early
Luca Evans, Denver Post, 10 Jan. 2026
The new Claribel Road bridge is scheduled to open by the end of 2026, with Phase 1 of the North County Corridor project expected to open to traffic in early 2028.
—Nina Burns, CBS News, 10 Jan. 2026
Alyssa Morin, InStyle, 11 Jan. 2026
Monk provided a spark off the bench for Sacramento, scoring twice as part of a 6-0 run that put the Kings up 35-34 early in the second quarter.
—Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 10 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for early
Adjective
Come late January or early February, Denver could be down its defensive coordinator, a whiz-kid offensive mind, and a slightly older whiz-kid defensive mind.
—Adverb
Jump on the trend early with this cute, hands-free Michael Kors crossbody bag.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for early
Adjective
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On a cold winter afternoon, António and Jota return from the front with their friends, looking for an ancient Roman thermal bath.—
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Over time, Thompson and her colleagues have unearthed more burials, ancient human DNA and tiny human bone fragments.—
Adjective
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The whimsical cover introduces readers to Saffy and Lumo, two best friends whose devotion to their favorite foods leads to an unexpected, and very literal, transformation.—
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While the ordeal was incredibly frustrating for Johnson, updates on his unusual guest have been an unexpected distraction and obsession for a community that has lost so much.—
Adverb
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The system is preloaded with a large VLA model trained specifically for the platform, enabling it to perform a broad range of autonomous manipulation tasks immediately after power-on.—
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If the client hadn’t had her mesh removed, she’d be immediately transferred to Surgical Assistance.—
Adjective
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Buffington had been working as an after-school instructor for classes in woodworking, primitive skills and kite-making through the Princeton Recreation Department.—
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These regular observations will gradually take in data and aim to provide pivotal information about the strengths, compositions, and histories of these primitive cosmic bodies.—
Adjective
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When emergencies result in a premature birth or a baby with medical complications, immediate access to advanced neonatal care is critical.—
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Gilbert blamed Congress for the funding reductions and described the layoffs as premature.—
Adverb
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Both hospitals provide on-site neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) for babies who are critically ill or born prematurely.—
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As oblivion approached, with all its attendant possibilities of panic or bitterness, Bowie summoned the generosity to evoke the ordeal of one prematurely dying man while also thinking and creating at the no less vast scale of life itself.—
Adjective
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To confirm their findings, the team compared the prehistoric residue to 250-year-old arrows stored in Swedish museums.—
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And if the sneakers themselves didn’t go heavy enough with the prehistoric theme, the shoebox is also fully decked out with a dinosaur motif which, when opened, is intended to look like a Tyrannosaurus opening its mouth.—
Adjective
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Leave a safe distance between you and the vehicle in front of you to account for sudden stops or changes in the traffic pattern.—
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The engine, freed from its hook by a sudden hard, precise kick, quickly sank into the river, pulling the cord tight and dragging the foreman underwater.—
Cite this Entry
“Early.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/early. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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