1
: prior to a specified or implied past, present, or future time : by this time : previously
He had already left when I called.
2
—used as an intensive
All right already.
Enough already!
Synonyms
Examples of already in a Sentence
They've already agreed to come.
I'd already left by the time you called.
He acted as if he didn't already know.
Flight 102 will already have taken off by the time Flight 101 lands.
Have they arrived already?! I'm still not dressed!
Do you have to go already?
Recent Examples on the Web
Other governments have already issued warnings about or placed restrictions on the use of DeepSeek, including South Korea and Italy.
—
Rob Wile, NBC News, 7 Feb. 2025
That wasn’t an issue with the older pigs, however, since their mature teeth were already present.
—Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 7 Feb. 2025
The city already does this for their comprehensive plan, but these guides too can be difficult to get right.
—Graham P. Johnson, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2025
Rane has been in French custody since 2022 on child exploitation charges, Merritt is already serving a prison sentence in Virginia for child rape, and the other two men appeared in court, where they were assigned attorneys before being remanded to U.S. Marshals.
—Andrea Marks, Rolling Stone, 6 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for already 
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Rob Wile, NBC News, 7 Feb. 2025
That wasn’t an issue with the older pigs, however, since their mature teeth were already present.
—Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 7 Feb. 2025
The city already does this for their comprehensive plan, but these guides too can be difficult to get right.
—Graham P. Johnson, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2025
Rane has been in French custody since 2022 on child exploitation charges, Merritt is already serving a prison sentence in Virginia for child rape, and the other two men appeared in court, where they were assigned attorneys before being remanded to U.S. Marshals.
—Andrea Marks, Rolling Stone, 6 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for already
Dictionary Entries Near already
Cite this Entry
“Already.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/already. Accessed 19 Feb. 2025.
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already
adverb
al·ready
ȯl-ˈred-ē 
ˈȯl-ˌred-ē
: before a certain time : by the time
I had already left when you called
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