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
The South Terrace, with bucolic and far-reaching views, is already the locus of socialising spilling down to the 25-meter pool.
—
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 May 2026
Romano puts herself in the curious position of fighting a battle that has already been won on facts but not yet in legend.
—Thomas Mallon, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
The current outbreak is already larger than the past two Bundibugyo surges, Roberts said.
—Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 18 May 2026
The books that a patron has already requested get pushed to the head of the line.
—Adeel Hassan, New York Times, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for already
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Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 May 2026
Romano puts herself in the curious position of fighting a battle that has already been won on facts but not yet in legend.
—Thomas Mallon, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
The current outbreak is already larger than the past two Bundibugyo surges, Roberts said.
—Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 18 May 2026
The books that a patron has already requested get pushed to the head of the line.
—Adeel Hassan, New York Times, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for already
Cite this Entry
“Already.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/already. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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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