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!

---

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?

---

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

In Europe, the continent’s already weak economic growth is slowing to a crawl.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026

Roblox already requires users to pass an age check before they can use chat features, placing people into age bands intended to limit communication between children, teenagers and adults.

From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026

“The Freshening,” about a government-assisted drug that has everyone seeing their own race and gender, has already been optioned by Ali Wong and Adam McKay, from writer-director Cathy Yan.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026

Anyone reading this on an internet-connected device in 2026 already knows the trajectory of that technical breakthrough.

From Salon • Apr. 13, 2026

When he got to the food counter, he noticed that there were already two plastic bowls ready to go.

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

Related Words

• before
• earlier
• once
• previously
• then