soon

adverb

ˈsün How to pronounce soon (audio)
 especially New England  ˈsu̇n
sooner; soonest
1
: without undue time lapse : before long
soon after sunrise
2
: in a prompt manner : speedily
as soon as possible
the sooner the better
no sooner said than done
3
: in agreement with one's choice or preference : willingly
I'd just as soon walk as drive
4
archaic : before the usual time
5
obsolete : at once : immediately

Examples of soon in a Sentence

We will soon be making changes. The soonest I can get there is tomorrow. When is the soonest possible date of delivery? The audience soon realized that it wasn't a stunt. She found a job soon after graduation. How soon can you finish the job? The sooner you finish your homework, the sooner you can go outside and play. I will let you know as soon as possible. I'll get there as soon as I can.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In Osceola, officials plan to soon implement FloodWise, a software technology that can predict where flooding will occur at the street level up to three days in advance of an approaching storm. Martin E. Comas, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 June 2025 The decline of men and concomitant rise of women in Democratic voting ranks has been observed for decades and is not expected to change drastically soon. Clarence Page, Chicago Tribune, 1 June 2025 Water depth - The deeper the water, the sooner a vehicle loses traction on the road. Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 1 June 2025 One day soon, Apple may have much more reason to care about advertising in streaming and being able to track the activities of people who use its streaming offerings. ArsTechnica, 1 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for soon

Word History

Etymology

Middle English soone, from Old English sōna; akin to Old High German sān immediately

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 5

Time Traveler
The first known use of soon was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Soon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/soon. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

soon

adverb
ˈsün How to pronounce soon (audio)
 especially New England  ˈsu̇n
1
: before long : without delay
soon after sunrise
2
: in a speedy way
as soon as possible
3
archaic : before the usual time
4
: by choice
would as soon do it now

More from Merriam-Webster on soon

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