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Recently vs Earlier - What's the difference?

recently | earlier |

As adverbs the difference between recently and earlier

is that recently is in the recent past; newly; lately; freshly; not long since while earlier is comparative of early.

As an adjective earlier is

comparative of early.

recently

English

Adverb

(en adverb)
  • In the recent past; newly; lately; freshly; not long since.
  • *{{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham)
  • , title=(The China Governess) , chapter=1 citation , passage=The half-dozen pieces […] were painted white and carved with festoons of flowers, birds and cupids. To display them the walls had been tinted a vivid blue which had now faded, but the carpet, which had evidently been stored and recently relaid, retained its original turquoise.}}
  • *{{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-21, author= Chico Harlan
  • , volume=189, issue=2, page=30, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly) , title= Japan pockets the subsidy … , passage=Across Japan, technology companies and private investors are racing to install devices that until recently they had little interest in: solar panels. Massive solar parks are popping up as part of a rapid build-up that one developer likened to an "explosion."}}

    Antonyms

    * long ago * long since

    earlier

    English

    Adjective

    (head)
  • (early)
  • occurring previously
  • I shall be late because I missed the earlier train.

    Adverb

    (head)
  • (early)
  • previously; before now; sooner
  • I shall be late because I didn't start earlier .