soon S1 W1 / sun / 副词 ( comparative sooner , superlative soonest )

1 in a short time from now, or a short time after something else happens :

It will be dark soon.

David arrived sooner than I expected.

soon after

Paula became pregnant soon after they were married.

‘Who?’ ‘You’ll find out soon enough (= fairly soon ) .’

2 quickly :

How soon can you finish the report?

Try and get the car fixed as soon as possible .

3 as soon as immediately after something happens, without delay :

As soon as she entered the room, she knew there was something wrong.

I’ll come over to your place as soon as I can.

4 the sooner ( … ) the better used to say that it is important that something should happen very soon :

The sooner we get this job finished the better.

Let’s get out of here! The sooner the better!

5 the sooner … the sooner used to say that you want something to happen soon, so that something else can then happen :

The sooner I get this work done, the sooner I can go home.

6 no sooner had/did … than used to say that something happened almost immediately after something else :

No sooner had he sat down than the phone rang.

7 sooner or later used to say that something is certain to happen at some time in the future, though you cannot be sure exactly when :

His wife’s bound to find out sooner or later.

8 too soon too early

too soon to do something

It’s still too soon to say whether the operation was a success.

The holidays were over all too soon (= much earlier than you would like ) .

9 no sooner said than done used to say that you will do something immediately

10 not a moment too soon/none too soon almost too late :

‘The doctor’s here!’ ‘And not a moment too soon!’

11 somebody would sooner do something (than) if you would sooner do something, you would much prefer to do it, especially instead of something that seems unpleasant :

I’d sooner die than marry you!

12 somebody would (just) as soon formal used to say that someone would prefer to do something or would prefer something to happen :

I’d just as soon you didn’t drive the car while I’m gone.

THESAURUS

soon in a short time from now, or a short time after something else happens : See you soon! | It seemed difficult at first, but I soon got used to it.

in the near future in the next few weeks or months. In the near future is more formal than soon : The book will be on sale in the near future.

in no time (at all) very soon – used to talk about something good happening : You’ll be feeling better in no time at all. | In no time at all, her son was starting to speak Japanese.

in a minute spoken used to say that you will do something or something will happen within a few minutes : I’ll be ready in a minute. | The film’s going to start in a minute.

any minute now spoken used to say that something will or may happen very soon, but you do not know exactly when : They should be here any minute now.

any day now spoken used to say that something will or may happen in the next few days, but you do not know exactly when : I’m hoping to hear from her any day now.

shortly formal a short time from now : They will be with us shortly. | the new laws that will shortly be coming into effect

before long especially literary soon – used especially when something happens which you expected to happen : They got married, and before long Anna was expecting a baby.

it will not be long used when saying that something will happen soon : It won’t be long before everything is back to normal. | I knew that it wouldn’t be long before the same thing happened again.