earliest

adjective

as in first
coming before all others in time or order the earliest computers were massive machines that practically filled up a room

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for earliest
  1. first
  2. initial
  3. original
  4. foremost
Adjective
  • Player of the Week Senior outside hitter Quinn Grevengoed tallies 92 kills and 15 aces in seven matches and then is named MVP for host Chicago Christian as Knights take tournament title for first time since 2014.
    — Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2026
  • After filling our brushes with mouthwash from docking station reservoirs, Sarah and I brushed our teeth side-by-side (a first for both of us professionally).
    — Jenny Bailly, Allure, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of first
Adjective
  • The film is downright Tarkovskian for its initial hour, unspooling through eerie abstractions that heighten its lingering domestic turmoil.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Entertainment Weekly reached out to Grande’s reps for comment at the time of the initial lyric changes.
    — Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of initial
Adjective
  • The shop’s mascot, a rabbit, is named Lewis, after the original Lewis & Duncan grocery store that once inhabited the building.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Historic Preservation Commission members voted Thursday to approve exterior changes to the mansion’s original design plan as the building, now more than a century old, undergoes restoration and renovation as part of a new residential development.
    — Carolyn Stein, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of original
Adjective
  • On the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, AI’s foremost critic is flouting the dress code.
    — Jack Holmes, Vanity Fair, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The Move to Manchester The TV Festival’s impending move to Manchester was one of the foremost topics of conversation at this year’s edition.
    — K.J. Yossman, Variety, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of foremost
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.

Browse Nearby Words

earlier
earliest
earliness
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Cite this Entry

“Earliest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/earliest. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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