early on

adverb

: at or during an early point or stage
The reasons were obvious early on in the experiment.

Examples of early on in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Companies that bet early on a closed framing usually lose that bet. — Teodor Calin, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026 Importing the raw materials was very expensive, so both were planted early on. — Jay R. Brooks, Mercury News, 2 July 2026 Those generally start off with more equity exposure early on and then become more conservative over time as the target date for tapping the money approaches. — Jessica Dickler, CNBC, 2 July 2026 Kyiv residents sheltering at a metro station during Russian air attacks, early on Thursday morning local time. — Reuters, NBC news, 2 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for early on

Word History

First Known Use

1759, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of early on was in 1759

Rhymes for early on

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Browse Nearby Words

early meadow rue
early on
early saxifrage
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Cite this Entry

“Early on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/early%20on. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

early on

adverb
: at or during an early point or stage
had decided early on not to accept
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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