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

There were other issues early on in 2022 that the not-so-bad record papered over — including an aging back-line and a flurry personnel decisions that didn’t materialize until the team’s epic late-season resurgence. —Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 17 June 2024

According to a statement from the organizers early on Saturday, all participants were expected to have been evacuated by Saturday afternoon. —Xiaofei Xu, CNN, 15 June 2024

After generating considerable buzz early on, Kickstarter’s growth stagnated as the company tried to expand its crowdfunding business. —Jasmine Ball, Fortune, 14 June 2024

But also the global pandemic certainly put a [wrench] in plans early on. —Ilana Kaplan, Variety, 14 June 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