Meaning & use
earliest
Happening or coming before all others in time; the first or soonest possible.
See it in a sentence
The earliest trains from this station leave shortly after five in the morning.
Please send your application at your earliest convenience so we can review it in time.
A note on using this word
"Earliest" is the superlative of "early" and is often paired with "possible" or "convenience" in polite requests.
Words with a similar meaning
firstsoonest
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
latestlast
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “earliest”, then compare your use with the examples above.
Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.