relatively early

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "relatively early" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a time that is considered early in comparison to other times or events. Example: "The project was completed relatively early, allowing the team to focus on additional tasks."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

It occurs in the 1980s and early 1990s, relatively early in the upswing of polarization.

Princeton University

So why the relatively early exit?

The New Yorker

It is relatively early in lockout terms.

The New York Times - Sports

October is relatively early for major fires.

The New York Times

Sure, her soprano gave way at a relatively early age.

The New York Times

Maclean helps it along by disclosing Silas's secret relatively early.

The Guardian - Film

Any songs were at a relatively early stage, he added.

The Guardian - Music

"This is a relatively early product," Mr. Osofsky said.

The New York Times - Tech

He took out his mortgage relatively early in the cycle.

The New York Times

3 Geer v. Connecticut was decided relatively early in that evolutionary process.

Cornell University

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

I was diagnosed with an aggressive but relatively early-stage tumor in my femur.

HuffPost

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "relatively early" to provide context when describing a time frame, helping your audience understand its position within a larger sequence of events.

Common error

Avoid using "relatively early" without providing a reference point. Ensure the reader understands what is being compared to, to avoid ambiguity. Instead of saying "the project finished relatively early", specify "the project finished relatively early compared to other projects of its kind".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "relatively early" functions as an adverbial modifier, describing the timing of an event or action in relation to a specific context. As shown by Ludwig, it adds a nuance indicating something happened sooner than anticipated.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

48%

Academia

10%

Science

9%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

1%

Wiki

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "relatively early" is a common adverbial phrase used to indicate that something occurs sooner than expected or in comparison to other events. As confirmed by Ludwig, the phrase is grammatically correct and suitable for various contexts, ranging from news and media to academic writing. While versatile, it's important to provide context to avoid ambiguity and ensure the reader understands the reference point. Alternatives like "fairly early" or "comparatively early" can be used depending on the desired emphasis. Remember, clarity is key when using "relatively early" to effectively communicate the timing of an event.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

comparatively early

Emphasizes a comparison to another point in time, suggesting that something is early when viewed in relation to something else.

fairly early

Indicates a moderate degree of earliness, suggesting something is more early than late, but not extremely so.

quite early

Suggests a noticeable degree of earliness, implying that something happens sooner than expected.

reasonably early

Implies that something is early to a degree that is acceptable or satisfactory.

somewhat early

Indicates a slight degree of earliness, suggesting it's a bit earlier than usual but not significantly so.

prematurely

Highlights that something happens before it is fully ready or expected, often with negative connotations.

ahead of schedule

Focuses on completing something before the set deadline or expected timeframe.

sooner than expected

Emphasizes the element of surprise, indicating that something happened earlier than anticipated.

in advance

Highlights preparation and readiness, meaning something is done before it is needed.

beforehand

Stresses acting or preparing before a specific event or time.

FAQs

How can I use "relatively early" in a sentence?

You can use "relatively early" to indicate that something happened sooner than expected or in comparison to something else. For example, "The company adopted sustainable practices "relatively early" in its industry".

What are some alternatives to "relatively early"?

Depending on the context, you can use phrases like "fairly early", "quite early", or "comparatively early" to convey a similar meaning.

Is it redundant to say "relatively early on"?

While not strictly redundant, "relatively early on" can sometimes be streamlined to just ""relatively early"" if the context already implies the beginning of something.

What's the difference between "relatively early" and "early"?

"Early" simply means before the usual time, while ""relatively early"" implies a comparison to other times or events, indicating it's earlier than expected within a specific context.