relatively sooner

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "relatively sooner" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when comparing the timing of events or actions, indicating that one occurs earlier than another, but not by a large margin. Example: "We expect to receive the results relatively sooner than last time, which took several weeks."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Resolution of neuropathy (in patients with existent neuropathy at the time of treatment discontinuation) tended to occur relatively sooner in patients receiving ixabepilone.

Breast Cancer Research and Treatment

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Its use in daily clinical practice may be limited by its relatively high price but, sooner or later, recombinant human erythropoietin will find its place in intensive care medicine.

Critical Care

Memphis (3-0) had a relatively easy time against the Sooners (3-1).

The New York Times - Sports

No same level refracture was observed following PVP/PKP, while in conservative group, the refracture rate was relatively high (2.05 %) and occurred sooner than that in any other unit (7.33 ± 3.29 months).

Archives of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery

In 2006, the Sooners competed with a relatively young team.

Wikipedia

Dallas appeared to blitz linebackers and defensive backs on 31 plays against San Francisco last week, and there were portions of the game in which San Francisco quarterback Jeff Garcia, who is relatively mobile, was unloading the ball much sooner than he wanted.

The New York Times - Sports

REAL effects on DAFS scores were relatively smaller (than on EPCCE) and dissipated sooner.

Clinical interventions in aging

"Sooner is better than later and relatively bigger is better than relatively smaller".

The New York Times

"But on the other hand,... it is quite good that you're being forced to consider your options relatively early" so that you can get started sooner on a different career trajectory.

Science Magazine

Either option should keep an avocado relatively fresh for 1-3 days--but the sooner you eat it, the better.[3].

WikiHow

One might anticipate such a decline, since the proportion of recently infected or reinfected persons will be higher sooner after immigration than later due to relatively low levels of transmission in the Netherlands.

Emerging Infectious Diseases

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "relatively sooner", ensure that the context clearly establishes the basis for comparison. It's important that the reader understands what the timing is being compared to.

Common error

Avoid using "relatively sooner" without a clear reference point. If the reader doesn't know what you're comparing the timing to, the phrase becomes meaningless.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "relatively sooner" functions as an adverbial modifier, specifying the timing of an action or event in comparison to another. As Ludwig AI confirms, it indicates a comparative aspect in time. It modifies verbs or clauses by indicating that something occurs earlier than another benchmark, albeit not by a significant margin.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

33%

Wiki

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "relatively sooner" is used to indicate that something occurs a bit earlier compared to something else. Ludwig AI has validated that this phrase is grammatically correct, although its usage is rare. While the phrase appears in various contexts such as Science, News & Media and Wiki, it is important to provide a clear reference point for comparison. Alternatives such as "somewhat earlier" or slightly earlier can be used for similar effects. When using this phrase, ensure that the basis for comparison is evident to prevent vagueness.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

slightly earlier

Highlights a minimal temporal difference.

somewhat earlier

Indicates a slightly less significant difference in time.

comparatively earlier

Emphasizes the comparative aspect of the timing.

a bit sooner

Informal way to express a small difference in time.

a little earlier

Another informal way to indicate a minor temporal difference.

marginally sooner

Suggests an almost negligible difference in time.

fractionally sooner

Highlights the smallness of the time difference.

not much later

Expresses that an event is happening with a similar timing as a previous one.

pretty soon

Indicates something is happening within a short time frame.

in short order

To state that something is happening quickly.

FAQs

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

You can use "relatively sooner" to indicate that something happens earlier than something else, but the difference is not substantial. For example, "We expect to receive the results "somewhat earlier" this time compared to last year".

What's a more formal alternative to "relatively sooner"?

A more formal alternative would be "comparatively earlier". This phrase maintains the comparison while sounding more professional.

Is it always necessary to include what I'm comparing to when using "relatively sooner"?

Yes, it is crucial for clarity. Without a clear comparison, the phrase lacks context and becomes vague. Always make sure to explicitly state what you are comparing to.

Can I use "relatively sooner" to describe events that happen very close together in time?

Yes, it can be used for events happening very close in time. It's best used when you want to indicate that one event precedes another, but the temporal gap is not significant. Phrases like "slightly earlier" or "a bit sooner" might be more appropriate in such cases.