at the earliest

phrase

—used to indicate the earliest possible time when something will happen or be done

The job will not be finished until next year at the (very) earliest.

Examples of at the earliest in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

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.

Jeep Europe boss Xavier Peugeot (yes relation) indicated such a model wouldn’t emerge until 2030 at the earliest. — Adam Ismail, The Drive, 15 Oct. 2026 Researchers at Washington University found markedly different gut microbiomes in people at the earliest preclinical stages of Alzheimer’s, differences correlated with amyloid and tau accumulation before any cognitive symptoms appeared. — Holly Baines, STAT, 14 Oct. 2026 The elevator, by contrast, won’t be ready for installation until, at the earliest, April 2027, the library board was told. — Idaho Statesman, 14 Oct. 2026 Cancer that is found at the earliest stages, like that of the pope, can be treated with surgery and cured for both smokers and nonsmokers. — Estelamari Rodriguez, The Conversation, 14 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for at the earliest

Cite this Entry

Style

“At the earliest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/at%20the%20earliest. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

at the earliest

phrase

Examples of at the earliest in a Sentence

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

compunction

Popular in Grammar & Usage

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

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

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

Popular in Wordplay

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Popular

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

Games & Quizzes