sufficiently early

USAGE SUMMARY

"sufficiently early" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it when you want to emphasize that something is happening earlier or sooner than might be expected. Example sentence: I arrived at the airport sufficiently early to get through security with plenty of time to spare.

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The world's various academic systems have a long way to go before they will offer sufficient, and sufficiently early, opportunities for independence.

Science Magazine

Hence, if detected sufficiently early, reaction extinction can be thwarted by suitable changes in operating conditions.

Chemical Engineering Science

"The crisis resulted from the failure of Argentine policy makers to take necessary corrective measures sufficiently early," it said.

The New York Times

It is applied in the field sufficiently early for absorption by the still-green foliage but late enough to avoid suppressing the bulb yield.

Britannica

So, catching the supernova sufficiently early is hard you've got to be on the ball, as our team was," says Filippenko.

University of California, Berkeley

The present results indicate that midazolam is highly effective for the management of status epilepticus, if used sufficiently early after seizure onset.

Pediatric Neurology

The goal of any surveillance program should be detection of recurrent disease at a sufficiently early time to allow subsequent curative therapy.

Seminars in Oncology

Research from the Move with Us suggests that most homemovers are suffering from delays because they are not instructing their solicitor or conveyancer sufficiently early in the process.

Independent

It is how can we make screening better for women, reduce false-positive recalls and improve our ability to more accurately prevent and detect clinically significant cancers sufficiently early.

Nature

However, if a fall in biological data cannot be identified when it has reached its nadir, it is unlikely that, during its evolution, it would be recognised sufficiently early to prompt a change in treatment.

Nature

It is difficult to detect vulnerabilities until they manifest themselves as security failures in the operational stage of software, because security concerns are often not addressed or known sufficiently early during the software development life cycle.

Journal of Systems Architecture

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a process that requires a specific timeframe, using "sufficiently early" indicates you have accounted for necessary delays or unexpected issues.

Common error

Avoid using "sufficiently early" in casual conversation. Opt for simpler alternatives like "early enough" or "in good time" to maintain a natural tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "sufficiently early" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying verbs to indicate when an action occurs. Ludwig shows that it is frequently used to emphasize the importance of acting promptly to achieve a desired outcome.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

61%

News & Media

22%

Academia

7%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

1%

Formal & Business

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "sufficiently early" is a grammatically correct and frequently used adverbial phrase that emphasizes the importance of acting promptly. Ludwig AI confirms its validity and widespread use across diverse contexts, especially science and news. While "sufficiently early" can add precision to your writing, remember to consider your audience and context. For informal communications, simpler alternatives like "early enough" or "in good time" may be more appropriate. By understanding its function, purpose, and register, you can effectively use "sufficiently early" to convey the importance of acting sooner rather than later.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

adequately early

Replaces "sufficiently" with "adequately", suggesting a satisfactory level of earliness rather than emphasizing abundance.

early enough

A more common and less formal alternative, implying that something happens before a necessary or desired point.

in good time

Focuses on having ample time before a deadline or event, rather than just being early.

with time to spare

Highlights the availability of extra time, suggesting a comfortable margin.

well in advance

Emphasizes that something happens a considerable time before the relevant event.

in a timely manner

Highlights that something is done within the expected period, avoiding delays.

promptly

Focuses on the speed and readiness with which something is done, implying little to no delay.

ahead of schedule

Highlights being ahead of the planned or expected time, implying efficiency.

beforehand

Indicates doing something prior to a specific event or time.

previously

Suggests action taken at an earlier, unspecified time.

FAQs

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

You can use "sufficiently early" to describe actions that must happen well in advance of a deadline or event, for example: "We need to start the marketing campaign sufficiently early to generate enough buzz before the product launch."

What are some alternatives to saying "sufficiently early"?

Alternatives include "early enough", "in good time", or "well in advance", depending on the specific context and level of formality.

Is "sufficiently early" too formal for everyday conversation?

While grammatically correct, "sufficiently early" can sound somewhat formal in casual settings. Consider using more relaxed alternatives like "early enough" or "in time".

What's the difference between "sufficiently early" and "just in time"?

"Sufficiently early" implies acting or planning well before a deadline or need, ensuring ample time. "Just in time", on the other hand, means acting or delivering something at the very last moment it's needed, potentially leaving no room for error.