before long

adverb

: in the near future : soon

Examples of before long in a Sentence

the painters ought to be done before long
Recent Examples on the Web East Orlando’s Chicago transplants — along with UCF student imports from the Midwest — will feel a little less homesick before long as Portillo’s has a new location planned for Waterford Lakes Town Center. Amy Drew Thompson, Orlando Sentinel, 18 June 2024 Keep reading to check out our top picks — but shop fast, because with prices this good, they’re bound to disappear before long. Jamie Allison Sanders, Peoplemag, 10 June 2024 The English actress stated that before long, her feelings were too strong to deny. Angel Saunders, Peoplemag, 6 June 2024 My grandparents moved into the house overlooking Lake Montebello alongside a couple of other Black families and, before long, all that remained of its former white Protestant residents was the statue of Martin Luther perched in an open field. Brittany N. Williams, Baltimore Sun, 5 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for before long 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'before long.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1585, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of before long was in 1585

Dictionary Entries Near before long

Cite this Entry

“Before long.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/before%20long. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.

Kids Definition

before long

adverb
: in the near future : soon

More from Merriam-Webster on before long

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