Compare earlier with other words:
earlier vs. formerly
earlier vs. former
ago vs. earlier
earlier vs. earliest
earlier vs. soon
earlier vs. faster
earlier vs. prior
earlier vs. flashback
earlier vs. previous
earlier vs. previously
beforehand vs. earlier
earlier vs. retrogress
earlier vs. sometime
earlier vs. ere
earlier vs. rather
beyond vs. earlier
earlier vs. later
anterior vs. earlier
earlier vs. reminiscent
earlier vs. premature