Word
earlier
Phoneticsear·li·er, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈɝɫiɝ/
UK/ˈɜːlɪɐ/
Definitions
01before now
A2 · Elementary
adv. at a time before the present or before the time you are talking about.
adv. at a point in time preceding the current moment or a specified reference point.
“I mentioned that problem to you earlier today.”
“As we discussed earlier in the semester, the final grade will be determined by both the exam and the research project.”
Usage
often used with 'today', 'this morning', or 'this week' to refer to a past moment in the same period.
Synonyms
Antonyms
02sooner than expected
A2 · Elementary
adv. sooner than the usual time or sooner than a time already mentioned.
adv. at a time before the expected, usual, or previously arranged time.
“The train arrived ten minutes earlier than the schedule said.”
“The harvest began significantly earlier this year due to an unseasonably warm spring and consistent rainfall.”
Usage
frequently used in comparisons with 'than'.
Synonyms
Antonyms
03previous
B1 · Intermediate
adj. happening or existing before something else.
adj. occurring or existing at a point in time before the present or before a specified event.
“In an earlier chapter, the author explains why the family moved.”
“The detective revisited the witness's earlier statement to check for inconsistencies with the new evidence.”
Usage
usually placed before a noun.
Antonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “earlier” in context.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A2 KeyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.3.0–4.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 2.0–2.524–43TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.225–549
- Frequency
- Very common
- Level
- A2 · Elementary
- Updated
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