already

American  

[awl-red-ee] / ɔlˈrɛd i /

adverb

1. by this or that time; prior to or at some specified or implied time; previously.

   When we came in, we found they had already arrived.

2. now; so soon; so early.

   Is it noon already?

3. Informal. (used as an intensifier to express exasperation or impatience).

   Let's go already!

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already British  

/ ɔːlˈrɛdɪ /

adverb

1. by or before a stated or implied time

   he is already here

2. at a time earlier than expected

   is it ten o'clock already?

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Commonly Confused

Although already and all ready are often indistinguishable in speech, the written forms have distinct meanings and uses. The phrase all ready means “entirely ready” or “prepared” ( I was all ready to leave on vacation ). Already means “previously” ( The plane had already left the airport ) or “so soon” ( Is it lunchtime already? ).

Etymology

Origin of already

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English al redy “all ready”; what originally meant “completely ( all ) ready” and modified the subject ( The porter all ready was there ) was taken adverbially as modifying the predicate ( The porter already was there, meaning “from an earlier time”)

Explanation

Things that happened already are in the past, as in "Stop nagging me! I already cleaned my room." If you did something already, you did it in the past, whether an hour ago or a year ago. A team trying for its second championship already won a championship. A kid who ate cake first has already eaten dessert. If you've never done it, then you can't say you already did it. This word often gets used in exasperated tones, as in "Take out the garbage! I already told you ten times!"

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

already

Ohtani has been playing with a bad knee and biceps for three months, and the Dodgers already have tried intermittent rest.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 14, 2026

"We have already dedicated substantial personnel and resources to our ongoing remediation efforts, and those costs are in the current expense base," it added.

From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2026

A spokeswoman for the bank said in a statement it had already been working with regulators for years and had invested billions of dollars to comply with anti-money-laundering rules.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026

Mediawan has already established a foothold in Hollywood by acquiring companies such as Plan B, chaired by Brad Pitt, at the end of 2022, and The North Road Company in early 2026.

From Barron's ● Oct. 13, 2026

It certainly wasn’t EG, who was already smiling, already seemed to have the world all figured out, though cuddling her was very good.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Related Words

• before
• earlier
• once
• previously
• then