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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

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

A reminder that all good things end far sooner than we want — and that’s why we need to enjoy what we have while we have it.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026

Traders sold U.S. government bonds on concerns that higher energy costs could lift inflation and trigger the Fed to take action on interest rates perhaps sooner than previously expected.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 26, 2026

His opponents are publicly saying bring it on when there is talk of an election sooner rather than later.

From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026

Antitrust enforcers will identify some deals for narrower investigations that could close sooner.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026

Everyone must go adventuring sooner or later, yet finding one’s way home is not easy.

From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood

Sooner or later, the final picture is going to lose its novelty.

From Salon ● Mar. 29, 2026

"Sooner or later, there will be no alternative."

From Barron's ● Mar. 23, 2026

Sooner or later, a new supreme leader will be selected.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 4, 2026

It’s a real window of opportunity, said Eric Cooper, founder of Sooner Private Financial Council in Salem, N.H.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 22, 2025

Sooner or later, he’d discover the missing watch and would question me, and I’d have to he convincingly, which I wasn’t very good at.

From "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls

Related Words

• ahead
• back
• previously
• since