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
Usage of Safe
Both "drive safe" and "drive safely" are acceptable. Flat adverbs, as adverbs without -ly are called, are common in English; examples include soon in "see you soon" and fast in "time goes so fast." Adverbial safe functions in the same way these do.
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
The governor has previously explained that difficult decisions must be made as the state could soon face an economic downturn.
—
Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2026
This isn’t the only show reimagining of Scooby-Doo coming soon.
—Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 9 June 2026
Trump has repeatedly threatened to resume strikes if an agreement is not reached soon.
—Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 8 June 2026
The anti-Trump cries soon turned to bellowing cheers when those same cameras quickly cut to Knicks superstar Jalen Brunson courtside.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 8 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for soon
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.
Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2026
This isn’t the only show reimagining of Scooby-Doo coming soon.
—Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 9 June 2026
Trump has repeatedly threatened to resume strikes if an agreement is not reached soon.
—Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 8 June 2026
The anti-Trump cries soon turned to bellowing cheers when those same cameras quickly cut to Knicks superstar Jalen Brunson courtside.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 8 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for soon
Cite this Entry
“Soon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/soon. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
soon
adverb
ˈsün 
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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
