earlier; earliest
1
a
: near the beginning of a period of time
awoke early in the morning
b
: near the beginning of a course, process, or series
early in his senatorial career
2
a
: before the usual or expected time
the train arrived early
b
archaic
: soon
c
: sooner than related forms
these apples bear early
earlier; earliest
1
a
: of, relating to, or occurring near the beginning of a period of time, a development, or a series
in the early evening
the early symptoms of the disease
b(1)
: distant in past time
(2)
: primitive
early tools
2
a
: occurring before the usual or expected time
an early arrival
b
: occurring in the near future
at your earliest convenience
c
: maturing or producing sooner than related forms
an early peach
earliness
noun
Synonyms
Examples of early in a Sentence
Adverb
Early in his career he moved to the city.
a word first recorded early in the 17th century
They were trailing by a touchdown early in the fourth quarter.
The package should be arriving early next week.
She arrived early to help with the preparations.
I got up early to finish packing.
Adjective
the early symptoms of the disease
The early part of the book is better than the later part.
We had an early spring this year.
We're early. The show doesn't start for half an hour.
I've always been an early riser.
Recent Examples on the Web
Hema Sivanandam, The Mercury News, 13 Nov. 2024
With Davis absent for the final 17-plus minutes, LeBron James dialed up his intensity in the latter stages of the third quarter and early in the fourth, helping the Lakers turn a five-point deficit late in the third (77-72) into a double-digit (103-89) early in the fourth.
—Khobi Price, Orange County Register, 10 Nov. 2024
Peter Guo, NBC News, 14 Nov. 2024
Buck Bedding Areas Buck bedding areas are incredibly productive spots throughout the early season, pre-rut, and late season.
—Josh Honeycutt, Outdoor Life, 14 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for early 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Adverb
Funding for this effort is part of the $500,000 allocated for the gun violence reduction initiative, which was approved early last month.
—Hema Sivanandam, The Mercury News, 13 Nov. 2024
With Davis absent for the final 17-plus minutes, LeBron James dialed up his intensity in the latter stages of the third quarter and early in the fourth, helping the Lakers turn a five-point deficit late in the third (77-72) into a double-digit (103-89) early in the fourth.
—Khobi Price, Orange County Register, 10 Nov. 2024
Adjective
The world is currently experiencing a fourth global coral bleaching event, with mass bleaching confirmed in at least 62 countries and territories worldwide from 2023 to early 2024, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
—Peter Guo, NBC News, 14 Nov. 2024
Buck Bedding Areas Buck bedding areas are incredibly productive spots throughout the early season, pre-rut, and late season.
—Josh Honeycutt, Outdoor Life, 14 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for early
Dictionary Entries Near early
Cite this Entry
“Early.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/early. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
early
1 of 2 adverb
ear·ly
ˈər-lē 
earlier; earliest
1
: near the beginning of a period of time or of a process or series
woke up early
2
: before the usual or expected time
arrived early
early
2 of 2 adjective
earlier; earliest
1
a
: of, relating to, or occurring near the beginning of a period of time, a development, or a series
in the early evening
b
: primitive
early art forms
2
a
: occurring before the usual or expected time
had an early winter
b
: maturing or producing sooner than related forms
an early peach
earliness
noun
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