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Synonyms

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.

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.

Sooner 3 American  
[soo-ner] / ˈsu nər /

noun

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

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

"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

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

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.

The victim's mother said: "I know these things are scary but the sooner you speak out the quicker police can get the person and hopefully, in time, give closure."

From BBC

Villa are fortunate others have stumbled sooner and for longer this season - ensuring they have maintained a decent grip on third place until now.

From BBC

Netflix is the utility streamer, where all producers want their shows to turn up sooner or later.

From The Wall Street Journal

Huckabee reportedly told embassy staff in an email there was "no need to panic, but for those desiring to leave, it's important to make plans to depart sooner rather than later".

From BBC

Medicare is not available until age 65, which will arrive a few years sooner for you than for your husband.

From MarketWatch

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.