earlier

About 94.63 uses per million words.

Meaning

1. adjective comparative form of early: more early
2. adjective occurring previously

   I shall be late because I missed the earlier train.

3. adverb comparative form of early: more early
4. adverb previously; before now; sooner

   From what I vaguely saw earlier this morning, when I had just woken up and was tidying my bed, a tall, bulky person left an unfamiliar box at my front door.

Similar words

before past sooner originally to begin with in the beginning in the first place beforehand previously antecedent

Often followed by

in than and that years period work times days

Word family

earliest earliness earlinesses early