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Synonyms

soon

American  
[soon] / sun /

adverb

sooner, soonest

  1. within a short period after this or that time, event, etc..

    We shall know soon after he calls.

  2. before long; in the near future; at an early date.

    Let's leave soon.

  3. promptly or quickly.

    He came as soon as he could.

  4. readily or willingly.

    I would as soon walk as ride.

  5. early in a period of time; before the time specified is much advanced.

    soon at night; soon in the evening.

  6. Obsolete. immediately; at once; forthwith.

soon British  
/ suːn /

adverb

  1. in or after a short time; in a little while; before long

    the doctor will soon be here

  2. at the very moment that

    she burst into tears as soon as she saw him

  3. used to indicate that the second alternative mentioned is not preferable to the first

    I'd just as soon go by train as drive
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
soon Idioms  

  1. see as soon as; fool and his money are soon parted; had rather (sooner); just as soon; no sooner said than done; speak too soon.

Etymology

Origin of soon

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English sōna; cognate with Old High German sān, Gothic suns

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

So is Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who claims that “real affordability relief” is coming soon and it will be a “bountiful” 2026.

From Salon

He soon developed a reputation as an elite recruiter, and climbed the ranks until he landed the head coach job at Oregon in 2018.

From The Wall Street Journal

"Many farm businesses are marginal or loss-making, yet will soon be hit with unaffordable inheritance tax bills, which in many cases will dwarf their annual profit," he explained.

From BBC

“There is plenty of oil on the global market, and a shut-in of Venezuelan production, however unlikely, is not going to cause a supply shortage anytime soon,” Mizuho’s Robert Yawger says in a note.

From The Wall Street Journal

In “Weapons,” its eerie harmonic movement portends an innocence soon to be lost.

From Los Angeles Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.