earlier this day

USAGE SUMMARY

"earlier this day" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to indicate the point in the day that a certain event occurred. Example sentence: I had a meeting earlier this day with my supervisor to discuss my progress.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

As desperate as Romeo was earlier this day, he said that would just be asking too much.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Early this Sunday, a select group of government officials and private lawyers will meet at nearby Fort Hood, the nation's largest military base.

The New York Times

Early this Saturday morning in the Florida Panhandle, in keeping with a schedule set in motion decades ago, a crowd will gather around a memorial for a solemn roll call – the names of a specialized group of American service members, 289 in all, who have died in the line of duty since 1942.

The New York Times

We had arranged this rendezvous earlier that day.

The New Yorker

The harsh words came after Will's appearance on ABC's "This Week" earlier that day.

Huffington Post

Laura, an intern who had just started at Vice earlier that day, volunteered for this one, as she reckons she's pretty hot with chopsticks.

Vice

His early departure this Monday so unlike him.

The New York Times

As early as this Sunday, it could start moving from its landing site.

The New York Times

since Jan .6, when they had said that a strike could take place as early as this Monday.

The New York Times

But the England midfielder is expected to be passed fit as early as this Saturday's FA Cup clash against Blackburn, although it's understood Wenger is considering resting him according to The Evening Standard.

Independent

Another problem for txtr: The Kindle will hit German stores as early as this Monday, while the txtr will be delivered to German customers December 15.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "earlier this day" when you want to specifically emphasize that an event happened on the same day as another event you are discussing, especially when the timeframe is relevant.

Common error

Avoid using "earlier this day" excessively in your writing. More common alternatives like "earlier today" or "earlier in the day" often sound more natural and less repetitive.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "earlier this day" functions as an adverbial phrase modifying a verb or clause. It specifies the time at which an action occurred, indicating that it took place at a point before the present moment but within the same day. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "earlier this day" is a grammatically correct phrase used to indicate that an event occurred at a prior point within the current day. As Ludwig AI suggests, while correct, it is not as common as alternatives like "earlier today" or "earlier in the day". It is primarily used in news and media contexts to provide temporal specificity. To enhance your writing, consider using more common alternatives unless specific emphasis on the same-day timeframe is necessary. Common errors can be avoided by varying your phrasing and using the most natural-sounding option.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

earlier in the day

Replaces "this day" with "in the day", focusing on a general time frame within the same day.

earlier today

A more concise and common way to express the same idea, replacing "this day" with "today".

previously today

Uses "previously" to emphasize that something happened before the current moment within the same day.

before now today

Less formal phrasing that still indicates something happened earlier within the current day.

earlier during the day

Adds emphasis by specifying "during the day", though it is somewhat redundant.

in the early hours of today

Specifically refers to the morning part of the day.

in the first part of the day

Refers to the initial portion of the day.

earlier in the daytime

Replaces day with daytime.

prior to this moment today

A more formal way to indicate something that happened earlier in the day.

sooner this day

Implies that something happened at an unspecified time but sooner in the day.

FAQs

How can I use "earlier this day" in a sentence?

You can use "earlier this day" to specify that an event occurred at a previous point within the current day. For example, "I had a meeting "earlier this day", and now I'm working on the report."

What's a more common alternative to "earlier this day"?

A more common alternative is "earlier today", which is more concise and frequently used in both formal and informal contexts.

Is "earlier this day" formal or informal?

"Earlier this day" leans towards a neutral register but is less common than other similar phrases. It can be used in both formal and informal writing, but phrases like "earlier today" might be preferable in most scenarios.

When should I use "earlier this day" instead of "earlier today"?

Use "earlier this day" when you want to specifically emphasize that two events are occurring on the same day. It's useful for clarity when the temporal relationship between events on the same day is significant.