What does "early" mean?
A shift (scheduled work period) that takes place early in the day.
Early
/ˈɜːli/ adj, adv, name, noun, slang
adj, adv, name, noun, slang ·Very common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A shift (scheduled work period) that takes place early in the day.
- Grammar: early is listed as adj, adv, name, noun, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: a priori, advanced, ages ago, ahead.
- Useful contrasts: final, late, mid.
- Usage evidence: "If you're tired, why don't you go to sleep?" "Because if I go to sleep now I will wake up too early."
How to use "early"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "early" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "early" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "early" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "early" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "early" is acting as adj, adv, name, noun, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "a priori" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "early", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A shift (scheduled work period) that takes place early in the day. informal
"On my first day on the watch after leaving the shoplifting squad I paraded on earlies but had completely forgotten to take my ear ring off."
Adjective
- 1 At a time in advance of the usual or expected event.
"at eleven, we went for an early lunch; she began reading at an early age; his mother suffered an early death"
- 2 Arriving a time before expected; sooner than on time.
"You're early today! I don't usually see you before nine o'clock."
- 3 After but close to the start of a period of time.
"The play "Two Gentlemen of Verona" is one of Shakespeare's early works."
- 4 In the starting hours of the day.
"It's too early for this sort of thing. I'm not awake yet."
- 5 Having begun to occur; in its early stages.
"early cancer"
Show 1 more definition
- 6 Of a star or class of stars, hotter than the sun.
Adjective
- 1 at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time wordnet
- 2 being or occurring at an early stage of development wordnet
- 3 of an early stage in the development of a language or literature wordnet
- 4 very young wordnet
- 5 belonging to the distant past wordnet
Show 1 more definition
- 6 expected in the near future wordnet
Adverb
- 1 At a time before expected; sooner than usual.
"We finished the project an hour sooner than scheduled, so we left early."
- 2 Soon; in good time; seasonably.
"[T]thoſe that ſeeke me early, ſhall find me."
Adverb
- 1 before the usual time or the time expected wordnet
- 2 in good time wordnet
- 3 during an early stage wordnet
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname.
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
""If you're tired, why don't you go to sleep?" "Because if I go to sleep now I will wake up too early.""
Common questions
What is a synonym for "early"?
Common synonyms include: a priori, advanced, ages ago, ahead, ahead of schedule, ahead of time.
How do you use "early" in a sentence?
"If you're tired, why don't you go to sleep?" "Because if I go to sleep now I will wake up too early."
How do you pronounce "early"?
Pronounced /ˈɜːli/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English erly, erlich, earlich, from Old English ǣrlīċ (“early”, adjective), equivalent to ere + -ly.
Etymology 2
From Middle English erly, orely, arely, erliche, arliche, from Old English ǣrlīċe, ārlīċe (“early; early in the morning”, adverb), equivalent to ere + -ly. Cognate with Old Norse árliga, árla ( > Danish årle, Swedish arla, Norwegian årle, Faroese árla).