What are synonyms for the word early?

Here are some synonyms for "early," depending on the context:

General:

* Beforehand

* Premature

* Prior

* Previous

* Ahead of time

* In advance

* First

* Initial

* Beginning

* First thing

Time of day:

* Dawn

* Morning

* Sunrise

* Pre-dawn

* Prematurely

* Before daybreak

For stages of development:

* Immature

* Young

* Initial

* Preliminary

* Developing

* Emerging

Other:

* Prompt

* Fast

* Swift

* Rapid

* Quick

Formal:

* Antecedent

* Preliminary

* Aforementioned

* Previous

The best synonym will depend on the specific context of the sentence.