already
adverb
al·ready ȯl-ˈre-dē 
ˈȯl-ˌre-dē
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!
Synonyms
- afore [chiefly dialect]
- ahead
- antecedently
- anteriorly
- before
- beforehand
- earlier
- formerly
- preliminarily
- previously
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
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? See More
Recent Examples on the Web Nearly all members of the queen's immediate family who were not already at Balmoral Castle in Scotland have now arrived. 
Mike Memoli, NBC News, 9 Sep. 2022 There is already, in the first day, signs of change. William Booth, Washington Post, 9 Sep. 2022 Similar laws are already in place in California and the District of Columbia. Sal Vaglica, WSJ, 9 Sep. 2022 The couple is already parents to sons Shai Josef, 2, and Asher Noah, 1. Georgia Slater, Peoplemag, 9 Sep. 2022 But about 8 million or so borrowers are estimated to be covered automatically because their relevant income data is already available to the U.S. Department of Education. Susan Tompor, Detroit Free Press, 9 Sep. 2022 The Buckeyes are already a little banged up on offense. Nathan Baird, cleveland, 9 Sep. 2022 Similar rules are already in place for those 12 and older, but will be expanded to those 5 and older on Sept. 30. Erin Prater, Fortune, 9 Sep. 2022 The restaurant area is already complete with gray chairs and stools, white tables and copper wine refrigerators lining the wall. Bahar Anooshahr, The Arizona Republic, 9 Sep. 2022 See More
Mike Memoli, NBC News, 9 Sep. 2022 There is already, in the first day, signs of change. William Booth, Washington Post, 9 Sep. 2022 Similar laws are already in place in California and the District of Columbia. Sal Vaglica, WSJ, 9 Sep. 2022 The couple is already parents to sons Shai Josef, 2, and Asher Noah, 1. Georgia Slater, Peoplemag, 9 Sep. 2022 But about 8 million or so borrowers are estimated to be covered automatically because their relevant income data is already available to the U.S. Department of Education. Susan Tompor, Detroit Free Press, 9 Sep. 2022 The Buckeyes are already a little banged up on offense. Nathan Baird, cleveland, 9 Sep. 2022 Similar rules are already in place for those 12 and older, but will be expanded to those 5 and older on Sept. 30. Erin Prater, Fortune, 9 Sep. 2022 The restaurant area is already complete with gray chairs and stools, white tables and copper wine refrigerators lining the wall. Bahar Anooshahr, The Arizona Republic, 9 Sep. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English al redy, from al redy, adjective, wholly ready, from al all + redy ready
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing already
Kids Definition
already
adverb
al·ready ȯl-ˈre-dē
1
: before a certain time : by this time
The plan to help her make friends was already starting to work. Peter Brown, The Wild Robot
Peter Brown, The Wild Robot2
: so soon
Are they here already?
already
adverb
as in earlier
so as to precede something in order of time when we got back to the house, the movers had already left Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- earlier
- ahead
- previously
- before
- early
- now
- formerly
- in advance
- preliminarily
- beforehand
- shortly
- antecedently
- afore
- soon
- first
- anteriorly
- prematurely
- presently
- a priori
- first off
- before long
- erelong
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- later
- afterwards
- afterward
- after
- subsequently
- next
- behind
- by and by