Thesaurus results for BEFORE LONG

before long

adverb

Definition of before long

as in shortly

at or within a short time the painters ought to be done before long

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of before long But they’re surrounded by Nazis, and before long a sniper starts picking the men off. — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 24 June 2026 But before long, professors complained that incoming freshmen lacked even rudimentary math skills. — The Week Us, TheWeek, 22 June 2026 The car-sharing marketplace app lets drivers try out hybrids and EVs before long-term commitment. — Charles Singh, USA Today, 22 June 2026 What begins as an awkward confrontation soon turns into an unexpected romance, and before long, Milly invites Glenn to join the family on a Caribbean resort vacation. — Lily Brown, PEOPLE, 16 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for before long

Recent Examples of Synonyms for before long

Adverb

Meier ran the Ritz Hotel’s bar from 1921 until shortly before his death, in 1947.

— David Denby, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
The past few weeks have seen the former Dateline correspondent and To Catch a Predator host state that he was not consulted on the movie and did not know about the production until shortly before the trailer dropped in May.

— Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of shortly

Adverb

For years, America's been in the chokehold of unnecessarily oversized pickup trucks, but recent announcements of new vehicles show that common sense – and more reasonably proportioned utes – may soon prevail.

— Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 26 Aug. 2026
Robinson was expected to be an upgrade over veteran receiver Robert Woods, who was subsequently traded to the Tennessee Titans soon after the Robinson deal, but wasn’t able to achieve his previous levels of success.

— Chuck Schilken, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of soon

Browse Nearby Words

beforehand

before long

befoul

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Before long.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/before%20long. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of before long

adverb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

dissonant

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Popular in Wordplay

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes