Definitions

sooner

[soo-ner] / ˈsu nər /

ADJECTIVE

beforehand

Synonyms

STRONGEST

earlier

STRONG

ahead

WEAK

advanced ahead of time already ante antecedently before before now fore in advance in anticipation precedently precocious previous previously

ADVERB

before

Synonyms

STRONGEST

ahead back previously since

WEAK

afore aforetime ante antecedently anteriorly before present ere fore former formerly forward heretofore in advance in days of yore in front in the old days in the past past precendently previous up to now

Antonyms

WEAK

after afterward behind later

ADVERB

rather

Synonyms

STRONGEST

willingly

WEAK

alternately alternatively as a matter of choice by choice by preference first in lieu of in preference just as soon more readily more willingly much sooner

Antonyms

WEAK

extremely insignificantly little violently

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“But it’s a complicated set of tradeoffs and this gives us the option to go public sooner if that ends up being best.”

From MarketWatch • Jun. 8, 2026

"The sooner the decision is made, the less time we will waste moving on to the next phase," he told AFP.

From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026

And much sooner, the CBS parent’s merger will be finalized.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026

But this research often takes many years to bear fruit, and the nonprofit was seeking ways to help get new technologies to patients sooner, she said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 1, 2026

I knew he was going to drop the price of mutton sooner or later, so I paced here and there as I waited, and I did a bit of eavesdropping.

From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan

sooner

Example Sentences

Related Words