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

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Lucas Raymond finally beat him with a one-timer on the power play in the third, but Woll had made several great saves early on in the penalty kill. —

Kevin Papetti, The Athletic, 27 Dec. 2024 The big picture: Most stores and malls close early on Tuesday for Christmas Eve and most will stay closed on Christmas Day, including Walmart, Best Buy and Macy's. —

Kelly Tyko, Axios, 25 Dec. 2024 On the other hand, many places are closing early on Tuesday for Christmas Eve. —

Ana Rocío Álvarez Bríñez, The Courier-Journal, 24 Dec. 2024 Trading is expected to be muted across the globe this week as multiple markets close early on Tuesday and will remain shuttered on Wednesday for Christmas Day. —

Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 24 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for early on