soon

adverb

ˈsün How to pronounce soon (audio)
Definition of soonnext
1
as in shortly
at or within a short time we'll be done soon

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in rather
by choice or preference I'd sooner have a cavity filled than suffer through that opera again

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in quickly
with great speed as soon as possible

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 soon Parton soon had a performing career, singing on local radio and TV shows. — Deborah Wilker, HollywoodReporter, 25 Aug. 2026 Tracy will likely work to give some days off down the stretch to Wilyer Abreu and Ceddanne Rafaela with Duran, White, Jones and soon Anthony in the mix. — Jen McCaffrey, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026 But Eric became suspicious and soon figured out a party was in the works. — Kelsey Monstrola, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026 The staff would have to begin to go even sooner than the shareholders; Fried Frank, in its presentation, estimated between $20 and $24 million in severance and $75 million in union termination. — Noah Shachtman, Vanity Fair, 25 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for soon
Recent Examples of Synonyms for soon
  1. shortly
  2. rather
  3. quickly
  4. preferably
  5. rapidly
  6. willingly
  7. swiftly
  8. readily
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
  • Protectionism is generally not the cause of trade conflicts, but rather a symptom of imbalances that have endured for too long.
    — MICHAEL PETTIS, Foreign Affairs, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Thus polytheistic worship of deities and monist philosophy are not opposed but rather different ways of reaching the divine.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of rather
Adverb
  • Some come so quickly that there’s barely time to process how they were accomplished.
    — Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Besides faulty lactose digestion, nonwhite bodies were accused of other failures, too, such as aldehyde dehydrogenase deficiency, an inability to digest alcohol quickly.
    — Hilary Smith, The Conversation, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of quickly
Adverb
  • Store firewood neatly, preferably elevated and away from the house, and clear clutter that could shelter rodents.
    — Rachel Silva, Martha Stewart, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The filling sets in the fridge for at least four hours, but preferably overnight.
    — Jesse Szewczyk, Bon Appetit Magazine, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of preferably
Adverb
  • Memory is crucial for effective leadership, as the role often demands absorbing information rapidly and recalling the right details at critical moments.
    — Julian Hayes II, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Starship is the biggest and most powerful rocket ever built, and both Super Heavy and Ship are designed to be fully and rapidly reusable.
    — Mike Wall, Space.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of rapidly
Adverb
  • But the very act of putting on a wearable—of willingly adorning oneself with a tiny computerized narc—is an act of surrender.
    — Hillary Busis, Vanity Fair, 28 Aug. 2026
  • If Gluck has willingly conceded to the anti-erotic proclivities of his intended audience, Araki has, naturally, set out to defy them.
    — Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of willingly
Adverb
  • The additional personnel — and coordination with Fever, league and arena security and the Chicago Police Department — made Alter feel confident the team could intervene swiftly if Kanter Freedom crossed a line.
    — Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
  • He was acquitted in 2020, but was swiftly rearrested on charges linking him to Turkey’s 2016 coup attempt.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of swiftly
Adverb
  • Health care plans have also expanded mental health coverage, and players have begun to use those offerings more readily.
    — Mike Jones, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
  • There are diagnostic tests for many conditions, but a doctor’s list of potential diagnoses may be long, and the culprit might be too rare to come readily to mind.
    — Jason Liebowitz, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of readily

Phrases Containing soon

Browse Nearby Words

sons of man
soon
sooner or later
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Soon.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/soon. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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