untimely

adjective

Definition of untimelynext
as in early
occurring before the usual or expected time the untimely arrival of our guests caught us by surprise

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 untimely Something of a memento mori, the necklace flips the script on the beetle's role as the harbinger of untimely death in the original film and becomes instead a protective talisman for its wearer. — Kelsey Legg, ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026 More details about Hayden Panettiere’s plans to visit her daughter have emerged three days after the actress’s untimely death. — Hannah Malach, InStyle, 20 Aug. 2026 Birds visiting the feeder can get the goo on their wings, hampering their ability to fly and possibly leading to their untimely deaths. — Joan Morris, Mercury News, 17 Aug. 2026 Incomplete, corrupted, untimely, or unintelligible Submissions or Submission Forms will be disqualified. — August 16, NPR, 16 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for untimely
Recent Examples of Synonyms for untimely
  1. early
  2. premature
  3. unexpected
  4. sudden
  5. inopportune
Adjective
  • The extremely small separation between the two graphene systems allowed the screening effect to be much stronger than in earlier experiments.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Prosecutors say Castro briefly struggled with Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, then fired through a front door into an occupied home, hitting him in the leg, contradicting earlier federal accounts.
    — Valerie Gonzalez, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of early
Adjective
  • The Supreme Court, in a brief order last week, found that an earlier challenge to Trump’s executive order was premature because USPS had not yet issued a final rule.
    — Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Infections during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery or life-threatening infection of the newborn.
    — Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of premature
Adjective
  • Alongside grapefruit and bergamot, an Earl Grey tea accord adds unexpected warmth.
    — Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 3 Sep. 2026
  • An unexpected benefit of this process is that its solid carbon byproduct turned out to be graphite, a material used in batteries and electrodes that the US currently imports.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of unexpected
Adjective
  • And at the end of it all, a euphoric fan base, tipsy with its sudden reversal of fortune, belted out a 1976 Abba song in South Florida.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2026
  • The model is pulled in ten different directions by different internal product teams, resulting in an interface that suffers from sudden behavioral resets and an inability to smoothly execute complex, multi-turn human requests.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of sudden
Adjective
  • Knowing how to recognize the signs that your water heater is nearing the end of its lifespan can save you from an inconvenient breakdown (or worse, water damage) at an inopportune moment.
    — Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 24 Aug. 2026
  • The accusation comes at an inopportune time, when Microsoft is trying to optimize Windows 11 for 8GB of RAM and PC makers are developing less expensive hardware to compete with Apple’s MacBook Neo.
    — Chris Hoffman, PC Magazine, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of inopportune

Browse Nearby Words

untimeliness
untimely
untired
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Untimely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/untimely. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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