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
Kenton Gewecke,
ABC News,
3 July 2026
The researchers found that early mammals had relatively large, simple teeth with little variation in shape.
—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
3 July 2026
Blair Crosby,
AJC.com,
5 July 2026
This was visible when Uzbekistan played Colombia at the venue earlier in the World Cup, where the team competed well physically but passes kept going out of play.
—
Adam Crafton,
New York Times,
4 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for early
Adjective
Super Typhoon Bavi has winds of 145 mph, which is the equivalent of a Category 4 hurricane, as of Friday morning ET, which is very early Saturday morning in Guam.
—
Kenton Gewecke,
ABC News,
3 July 2026
The researchers found that early mammals had relatively large, simple teeth with little variation in shape.
—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
3 July 2026
Adverb
Do yourself a favor and come early to circle the block or opt in for a rideshare.
—
Blair Crosby,
AJC.com,
5 July 2026
This was visible when Uzbekistan played Colombia at the venue earlier in the World Cup, where the team competed well physically but passes kept going out of play.
—
Adam Crafton,
New York Times,
4 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for early
Recent Examples of Synonyms for early
Adjective
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That verdant vista of a piece of ancient, intricate architecture centered me in storied Osaka and proved a delightfully consistent through line for my stay.
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This phenomenon of gravitational lensing has been used to great effect to study ancient galaxies that would usually be too distant and faint to see when they are gravitationally lensed by foreground galaxy clusters.
Adjective
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Artisan Market Thoughtful, small-batch cookies made with intention and inspired by unexpected flavors.
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And while many know Mariska Hargitay from her decades-long run on Law & Order or as one of the Knicks' biggest hype women, she can also be considered among fashion's unexpected trendsetters.
Adverb
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Affidavits supporting the Johnsons’ arrests were not immediately available Friday evening.
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Councilmember Monica Rodriguez, who voted against the proposal in mid-June, voiced fears that the list of noncitizen voters would immediately be seized by federal immigration authorities.
Adjective
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SpudCell is still primitive, most closely resembling a bacterium.
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While primitive in appearance, the arms kept the device relatively secure on my neck.
Adjective
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For now, the Census numbers indicate that calls predicting remote work’s demise may have been premature.
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The brand uses tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate, a gentle, stabilized form of vitamin C that brightens and protects against premature aging.
Adverb
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That said, withdrawing money prematurely from a CD will lead to the issuance of an early withdrawal penalty.
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Modular designs and repairable form factors extend useful life and reduce the volume of devices retired prematurely due to single-component failure.
Adjective
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The museum uses Akrotiri as a point of reference for the life and culture of prehistoric Thira.
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The fraught subject of the proper disposition of those human remains has taken on a new sensitivity — both for the prehistoric people’s Native American successors in Florida, and for the archaeologists and developers encountering them.
Adjective
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Earthquakes' sudden, rapid shaking can cause fires, tsunamis, landslides or avalanches.
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Small Holes One sign of snakes in your garden could be the sudden appearance of small holes that could be about the size of a small coin, or up to two inches.
Cite this Entry
“Early.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/early. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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