early on

adverb

: at or during an early point or stage

the reasons were obvious early on in the experiment

Using Early on: Usage Guide

This adverb is sometimes objected to in American writing as an obtrusive Briticism. It is a relative newcomer to the language, having arisen in British English around 1928. It seems to have filled a need, however. It came into frequent use in American English in the late 1960s and is now well established on both sides of the Atlantic in both speech and writing.

Examples of early on in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

She was born in May 2004 Hunt and Carnahan welcomed their daughter Makena Lei Gordon Carnahan three weeks early on May 13, 2004, in L.A. —Francesca Gariano, Peoplemag, 13 May 2024

Coming from a multi-cultural home, Christa Rice learned early on that her hair was different and set her apart. —J.m. Banks, Kansas City Star, 9 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1759, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

early on

adverb

: at or during an early point or stage

had decided early on not to accept