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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

The sooner you can begin, the better — and think months or years before a move, not weeks or days.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 8, 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

No sooner had he proposed a dramatic expansion in the welfare state than government bond yields surged to their highest level since 1998.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026

And it is arguably to the benefit of both Manchester City and all of the other clubs in the Premier League and English Football League to know where they stand sooner rather than later.

From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026

Mother pointed out that the sooner she got started, the sooner she could leave.

From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer

In all, Manning’s turnovers led directly to 10 Sooner points.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 11, 2026

Sooner or later, he believes "corals will die out without intervention".

From Barron's ● Jul. 29, 2026

Unveiling a plaque at the Grand Union Canal, he said: "Sooner or later, all canal roads lead here, and all canal journeys end here."

From BBC ● Jul. 2, 2026

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

From Salon ● Mar. 29, 2026

Sooner or later, they would stumble on the solution.

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline

Related Words

• ahead
• back
• previously
• since