not until
idiom
: not before
Not until you finish your homework can you go outside.
When you finish your homework you can go outside, but not until then.
Examples of not until in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The Fed cut rates three times last year, though not until the fall.
—
Zach Lachance, The Washington Examiner, 12 Jan. 2026
Yet with their next game at home to Sheffield United not until next Saturday, Jones and Co can throw themselves entirely into pulling off what would be a morale-boosting upset against the Club World Cup champions in front of a boisterous home crowd.
—Jack Bantock, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2026
Warner’s return remains a distant proposition, likely not until the NFC Championship Game or Super Bowl.
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 8 Jan. 2026
The Buckeyes have been one of the best teams in the country all season, losing only once (and not until the Big Ten title game).
—Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 31 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for not until
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Zach Lachance, The Washington Examiner, 12 Jan. 2026
Yet with their next game at home to Sheffield United not until next Saturday, Jones and Co can throw themselves entirely into pulling off what would be a morale-boosting upset against the Club World Cup champions in front of a boisterous home crowd.
—Jack Bantock, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2026
Warner’s return remains a distant proposition, likely not until the NFC Championship Game or Super Bowl.
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 8 Jan. 2026
The Buckeyes have been one of the best teams in the country all season, losing only once (and not until the Big Ten title game).
—Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 31 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for not until
Cite this Entry
“Not until.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/not%20until. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
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