Definition

1. Adjective (Comparative form of 'early'):

   • Occurring or existing before the expected, usual, or scheduled time; more early.
   • Belonging to a time before the present; former.

2. Adverb:

   • At a time before the present; before now.
   • Before the expected, usual, or scheduled time; sooner.

Usage

• As an adjective, "earlier" is used to compare two points in time, indicating the one that happened first. It modifies a noun.
  • Example: We need to catch an earlier train. (This compares the train we need to catch with a later, originally considered train.)
• As an adverb, "earlier" modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb to indicate that an action happened before another time or before expected.
  • Example: She arrived earlier. (This modifies the verb 'arrived'.)

Examples

• Adjective:
  • In his earlier novels, the style was more experimental. (Refers to novels from a former period in his career.)
  • Please submit an earlier draft for feedback. (Refers to a draft completed sooner than the final one.)
• Adverb:
  • I woke up earlier than usual today. (Indicates the action happened before the typical time.)
  • As I mentioned earlier, the meeting is postponed. (Refers to a point in time before the current moment in the conversation.)

Advanced Usage

• "Earlier on": This phrase is often used to mean 'at a previous stage or point in a process or period of time.' It emphasizes a specific phase within a broader timeframe.
  • Example: Earlier on in the project, we faced many technical challenges.
• "No earlier than": Used to specify the earliest possible time something can happen.
  • Example: Applications will be accepted no earlier than Monday.

Variants and Related Words

• Early (adj/adv): The base form.
• Earliest (adj): The superlative form, meaning 'most early.'
  • Example: This is the earliest known example of the technique.

Synonyms

• Adjective: Former, previous, prior.
• Adverb: Before, previously, sooner.

Related Phrases

• Earlier today/yesterday/this week: Specifies an event happened in the recent past, within the same day or period.
  • Example: I saw her earlier today.
• Earlier than expected: Happening before the anticipated time.
  • Example: The results arrived earlier than expected.

Adjective

1. (comparative and superlative of `early') more early than; most early
   • a fashion popular in earlier times
   • his earlier work reflects the influence of his teacher
   • Verdi's earliest and most raucous opera

Adverb

1. before now
   • why didn't you tell me in the first place?
2. comparatives of `soon' or `early'
   • Come a little sooner, if you can
   • came earlier than I expected
3. earlier in time; previously
   • I had known her before
   • as I said before
   • he called me the day before but your call had come even earlier
   • her parents had died four years earlier
   • I mentioned that problem earlier