1
: prior to a specified or implied past, present, or future time : by this time : previously
He had already left when I called.
2
—used as an intensive
All right already.
Enough already!
Examples of already in a Sentence
They've already agreed to come.
I'd already left by the time you called.
He acted as if he didn't already know.
Flight 102 will already have taken off by the time Flight 101 lands.
Have they arrived already?! I'm still not dressed!
Do you have to go already?
Recent Examples on the Web
While Trump did not build a physical library or a museum after his first term, a future library has money already committed toward it and a luxury jet waiting in the wings.
—
Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA Today, 26 May 2025
The retro futuristic games have been given TV series treatment, which Amazon has already renewed for two additional seasons.
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The season 2 ending's flashback indicates season 3 will be taking a similar approach, meaning many of the characters that died already will come back in various capacities.
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A new addition to the Pottery Barn Outlet, this upholstered accent stool is, surprisingly, already on sale.
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See All Example Sentences for already
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Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA Today, 26 May 2025
The retro futuristic games have been given TV series treatment, which Amazon has already renewed for two additional seasons.
—Barry Levitt, Time, 26 May 2025
The season 2 ending's flashback indicates season 3 will be taking a similar approach, meaning many of the characters that died already will come back in various capacities.
—Nick Romano, EW.com, 26 May 2025
Sussex 18-Inch Nightstand, $225 (was $299) Kennedy Upholstered Accent Stool
A new addition to the Pottery Barn Outlet, this upholstered accent stool is, surprisingly, already on sale.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for already
Cite this Entry
“Already.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/already. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
already
adverb
al·ready
ȯl-ˈred-ē 
ˈȯl-ˌred-ē
: before a certain time : by the time
I had already left when you called
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