sooner

Sooner has several related meanings in English. As a comparative form of soon, sooner denotes that something will happen earlier or more quickly than another event or expectation. In older or more formal usage, the word may appear in phrases such as “I would sooner do X than Y,” expressing a preference.

Historically, sooner has also referred to a person who acted earlier than others. In the context of the Oklahoma land rush of 1889, a Sooner was someone who entered the Unassigned Lands before the official start of the land run, often to secure desirable parcels. The term became associated with preemptive or early entry during that period, and it contributed to the cultural associations later tied to the region.

The nickname Sooner State is widely used for Oklahoma, reflecting these early-entry associations, though the origin of the nickname is subject to interpretation. The word is also used as a demonym for residents of Oklahoma and as the name of the state’s flagship university sports teams, the Oklahoma Sooners. The term has thus traversed from a grammatical comparative to a regional identity and a collegiate team name, retaining its general sense of precocity or early action in its historical lore and modern usage.