sooner or later

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

soon /sun/   adv., -er, -est. 

1. within a short period;
   before long:
   The frogs started their noise soon after dark.
2. promptly;
   quickly:
   Finish as soon as you can.
3. readily or willingly:
   I would as soon walk as ride.

Idioms

4. Idioms sooner or later, sometime;
   eventually:
   Sooner or later you must face the truth.
5. Idioms, would or had sooner, [~ + verb (+ than + verb)] to prefer to:
   I would sooner stay home and watch TV (than go to that party).
   Compare rather (def. 7).

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

soon  (so̅o̅n), adv., -er, -est. 

1. within a short period after this or that time, event, etc.:
   We shall know soon after he calls.
2. before long;
   in the near future;
   at an early date:
   Let's leave soon.
3. promptly or quickly:
   He came as soon as he could.
4. readily or willingly:
   I would as soon walk as ride.
5. early in a period of time;
   before the time specified is much advanced:
   soon at night; soon in the evening.
6. [Obs.] immediately;
   at once;
   forthwith.
7. would sooner, to prefer to:
   I would sooner not go to their party.
   Cf. rather (def. 7).
8. sooner or later, eventually:
   Sooner or later his luck will run out.

• bef. 900; Middle English; Old English sōna; cognate with Old High German sān, Gothic suns

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

soon•er  (so̅o̅′nər), n. 

1. a person who settles on government land before it is legally opened to settlers in order to gain the choice of location.
2. a person who gains an unfair advantage by getting ahead of others.

• soon + -er¹ 1885–90, American.

Soon•er  (so̅o̅′nər), n. 

1. a native or inhabitant of Oklahoma (the Sooner State) (used as a nickname).

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

sooner / ˈsuːnə/ adverb

1. the comparative of soon: he came sooner than I thought
2. rather; in preference: I'd sooner die than give up
3. no sooner…than ⇒ immediately after or when: no sooner had he got home than the rain stopped, no sooner said than done
4. sooner or later ⇒ eventually; inevitably

USAGE
When is sometimes used instead of than after no sooner, but this use is generally regarded as incorrect: no sooner had he arrived than (not when) the telephone rang