TIMELY Synonyms: 61 Similar and Opposite Words

timely

adjective

ˈtīm-lē

Definition of timely

as in seasonable

especially suitable for a certain time a timely invitation to lunch that came just as I was starting to feel hungry

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in immediate

done, carried out, or given without delay when I order a pizza, I expect it to be delivered in a timely manner

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of timely Campbell joined community college faculty, students and other supporters at a rally on the campus in September urging the college to pay staff fair and timely wages. — William J. Ford, Baltimore Sun, 28 Aug. 2026 Many face barriers to timely diagnoses, medical treatments and coordination of care. — Hillary Lum, The Conversation, 27 Aug. 2026 That includes sharing explicit expectations around AI use, providing timely updates when possible and engaging with feedback — or even pushback — from employees. — Sophie Caldwell, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026 Kitchens were structured for high throughput and delivery vehicles lined up on the other side of the building to take finished meals and speed them along critical thoroughfares for timely and low-cost delivery. — George C. Lee Ii, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for timely

Recent Examples of Synonyms for timely

Adjective

High pressure brings dry, quieter weather Thursday and Friday with seasonable temperatures.

— Lisa Meadows, CBS News, 26 Aug. 2026
The coast-to-coast heat is expected to break later in the month, with a region of more seasonable weather in the Northeast in the Climate Prediction Center's 3-4 week outlook.

— Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 1 Aug. 2026

Definition of seasonable

Adjective

His best explanations for this are pressure from shareholders to prioritize immediate returns over long-term investments, and years of obsession with digital that came at the expense of physical retail.

— Hilary Milnes, Vogue, 3 Sep. 2026
These models predict what the fuel will do in the immediate future.

— Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of immediate

Adjective

Four decades into the Air Jordan line, now could be an opportune time for Jordan Brand to borrow from Bryant’s Nike line and re-cement its own legacy.

— Riley Jones, Footwear News, 1 Sep. 2026
The Athletic sat down with Peter Ramage in March to discuss the inner-workings of the loans department, which is essential for ensuring players get temporary moves at the opportune moment.

— Chris Waugh, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of opportune

Adjective

Coupled with improving economic growth and rising financial stability risks, the Bank of Korea may need to raise policy rates at an appropriate juncture.

— , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
Carrington in particular models what some have termed an ecofeminist approach, one that does not appropriate animals for the artist’s own self-revelation but instead develops kinship across species.

— Kelly Presutti, ARTnews.com, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of appropriate

Adjective

Many customers praise the company’s prompt service and the convenience of the online application process and payment portal.

— Dan Simms, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2026
Even all the way down in South Florida, plants long dismissed as parasites could turn out to offer benefits to their hosts, and prompt parks and gardeners to rethink when to reach for pruning shears and weedkillers.

— Denise Hruby, Miami Herald, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of prompt

Adjective

Potassium is a mineral your body needs for proper heart and muscle function.

— Zia Sherrell, HEALTH, 31 Aug. 2026
Bailey, who also serves as Bank of England governor, warned about the absence of proper guardrails around the technology, underscored by recent incidents in which frontier AI models being tested went rogue.

— Anna Cooban, CNN Money, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of proper

Browse Nearby Words

timeliness

timely

time-out

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Timely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/timely. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of timely

adjective

Example Sentences

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