soon

Meaning

Adj

1. Short in length of time from the present.
2. (US, dialectal) Early.
3. Used as an alternative to express 'to be going to' in the form 'to be soon to'.

Adv

1. (obsolete) Immediately, instantly.
2. Within a short time; quickly.
3. (dialectal) Early.
4. Readily; willingly; used with would, or some other word expressing will.

Synonyms

quickly

shortly

immediately

before long

early

presently

at once

directly

not long

now

in a while

in the near future

speedily

immediate

almost

instantly

later

fast

will

nearly

later on

erelong

near

quick

soon after

recently

short time

prompt

anon

in a moment

in a little while

by-and-by

momentarily

swiftly

short while

apace

slowly

steadily

quietly

late

rapidly

straight away

just

presto

in due course

in a short time

at length

promptly

impending

at any time

Translations

bientôt

🔜

pronto

bald

🔜

presto

spoedig

gauw

demnächst

🔜

weldra

🔜

cedo

logo

🔜

prochainement

🔜

binnenkort

🔜

mox

🔜

sous peu

🔜

Pronounced as (IPA)

/suːn/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: sone

Inherited from Old English: sōna

Cognate with Scots: sone

Cognate with Northern Frisian: san

Cognate with Dutch: zaan

Cognate with Middle Low German: sân

Cognate with Middle High German: sān

Cognate with Old High German: sār

Cognate with Gothic: 𐍃𐌿𐌽𐍃

In summary

From Middle English sone, from Old English sōna (“immediately, at once”), from Proto-West Germanic *sān(ō), from Proto-Germanic *sēna, *sēnô (“immediately, soon, then”), from *sa (demonstrative pronoun), from Proto-Indo-European *só (demonstrative pronoun).
Cognate with Scots sone, sune, schone (“soon, quickly, at once”), North Frisian san (“immediately, at once”), dialectal Dutch zaan (“soon, before long”), Middle Low German sân (“right afterwards, soon”), Middle High German sān, son (“soon, then”), Old High German sār (“immediately, soon”). Compare also Gothic 𐍃𐌿𐌽𐍃 (suns, “immediately, soon”), from Proto-Germanic *suniz (“soon”).

Sentences

As soon as he saw me among the crowd , he called to me to come down .

The pleasant hours fly by much too soon .

Mann soon found work as an engineering apprentice .

I know it's soon to talk about it .

The township was established soon after .

Opposition to the fascist regime soon matured in the Turin environment .