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• sooner
  sooner

  adverb

  the comparative form of soon.
• Sooner
  Sooner

  noun

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

sooner

¹ American  

[soo-ner] / ˈsu nər /

adverb

1. the comparative form of soon.

2. within a shorter period.

   That day will come sooner than you think.

3. earlier.

   I just wish I'd done it sooner.

4. in preference to something else; more willingly or readily; rather.

   We might sooner trust the wind than trust our own frail resolutions.

5. more likely or easily.

   It's a color you might sooner expect to find on a Lamborghini than on a BMW.

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idioms

1. sooner or later, eventually.

   Sooner or later his luck will run out.

2. would sooner, to prefer to; to prefer that.

   I would sooner not go to their party.

   I'd sooner you did the recording, as you're better at it than I am.

sooner ² American  

[soo-ner] / ˈsu nər /

noun

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.

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Sooner ³ American  

[soo-ner] / ˈsu nər /

noun

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

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sooner British  

/ 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. immediately after or when

   no sooner had he got home than the rain stopped

   no sooner said than done

4. eventually; inevitably

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Usage

What else does Sooner mean? A Sooner is a person who lives in the state of Oklahoma. It is also a nickname for students and athletes at the University of Oklahoma.

Etymology

Origin of sooner¹

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English soner(e), sonor(e), sonre; soon ( def. ) + -er ⁵ ( def. )

Origin of sooner²

An Americanism dating back to 1885–90; soon + -er ¹

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Explanation

The adverb sooner means "more promptly" or "earlier." If you miss your bus, you'll regret not waking up sooner! When you're little, it feels like you'll never grow up, but that day comes sooner than you think. This meaning comes from soon and its Old English root, which means "immediately." In the U.S., Oklahomans are known as Sooners, a nickname that arose after settlers snuck onto and claimed land in Indian Territory sooner than they were legally allowed. Another meaning of sooner is "rather," as in "I'd sooner have a cat than a dog."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

sooner Sooner

These GLP-1 injections suppress people's appetites, causing them to feel fuller sooner - but are not suitable for everyone and can have side effects.

From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2026

As for the out-of-state workers, they did not disclose their actual work locations and instead listed California addresses, limiting the office’s ability to identify the issue sooner, the spokesperson said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2026

“Add to that additional rate hikes by the Fed and Bank of England until the year-end, and the bull market in equities could come to an abrupt end sooner than many expect,” Klement said.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 5, 2026

The results also reinforce a broader message about digestive health: even relatively light physical activity may have effects on the gut much sooner than previously recognized.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 5, 2026

“Because I knew that, sooner or later, he would come here and beg you to take his place in the Library Olympics.”

From "Mr. Lemoncello's Library Olympics" by Chris Grabenstein

Sooner or later investors will demand returns, and there will be losers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026

Sooner or later, all of his projects circle around to his concern that he’s simply wired to be unpleasant.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 14, 2026

"Sooner or later this has to resolve itself. Hopefully sooner," said one EU diplomat, talking as others on condition of anonymity.

From Barron's ● Apr. 13, 2026

"Sooner or later these so-called alphabetical world champions are going to have to fight me. They will be hunted and destroyed. Who will they face for money? I'm the money man," he said.

From BBC ● Apr. 9, 2026

Sooner or later the pigeon would get the hint and fly away forever.

From "Wringer" by Jerry Spinelli

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Related Words

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