Collocations for "earlier"
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word "earlier" in context.
WordReference English Collocations © 2025
early
ⓘMost examples are given in US English. We have labeled exceptions as UK.adj
- an early [shift, breakfast, finish, answer, reply]
- early [detection, payment, boarding]
- is an early [bird, riser]
- is too early for me
- the early [stages, years, days] of
- the early [stages] of her [career, development, training]
- in the early days
- in the early hours of the morning
- is an early example of
- early [Greek, Ottoman, Roman]
- early in the [morning, day, flight]
- earlier in the [day, meeting]
- earlier in the [match]
- [leave, arrive, finish, get up] early
- [five] [minutes] early (for)
- arrived early to [get, see, ensure, be]
- an early [shift, breakfast, finish, answer, reply]
- early [detection, payment, boarding]
- is an early [bird, riser]
- is too early for me
- the early [stages, years, days] of
- the early [stages] of her [career, development, training]
- in the early days
- early in the [morning, day, flight]
- in the early hours of the morning
- earlier in the [day, meeting]
- earlier in the [match]
- is an early example of
- early [Greek, Ottoman, Roman]
- it's still early [in the day, to start drinking]
- it's too early to [say, decide]
- [leave, arrive, finish, get up] early
- [five] [minutes] early (for)
- arrived early to [get, see, ensure, be]
'earlier' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
answer
- as
- conversation
- day
- discussion
- early
- exactly
- foreshadow
- mention
- minute
- morning
- performance
- phone
- pour
- query
- recall
- several
- state
- time
- year