un·time·ly
ˌən-ˈtīm-lē 
1
: at an inopportune time : unseasonably
… thought I was mad, or most untimely merry …—
T. E. Lawrence
T. E. Lawrence2
: before the due, natural, or proper time : prematurely
went untimely to the grave
1
: inopportune, unseasonable
an untimely joke
untimely frost
2
a
: occurring or done before the due, natural, or proper time : too early : premature
an untimely death
b
: not made, done, or submitted within a set time period
an untimely petition
untimeliness
noun
Examples of untimely in a Sentence
Adjective
the untimely arrival of our guests caught us by surprise
Recent Examples on the Web
Abbas Al Lawati, CNN Money, 1 Mar. 2026
Reus also was a regular for the German national team for more than a decade, but untimely injuries prevented him from playing in three of the four World Cup tournaments during that stretch.
—CBS News, 28 Feb. 2026
Nicholas Brody met his untimely demise.
—Jillian Sederholm, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Feb. 2026
In All The Sinners Bleed, haunted by his devout mother’s untimely death, the first Black Sheriff (played by Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù) in a small Bible Belt county must lead the hunt for a serial killer that has been preying on his Black community for years in the name of God.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for untimely
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Adjective
Raisi’s untimely death in a helicopter crash in 2024 provided Khamenei with another opportunity to address public frustration, and many saw the election of the reform-leaning Masoud Pezeshkian as a step in that direction.
—Abbas Al Lawati, CNN Money, 1 Mar. 2026
Reus also was a regular for the German national team for more than a decade, but untimely injuries prevented him from playing in three of the four World Cup tournaments during that stretch.
—CBS News, 28 Feb. 2026
Nicholas Brody met his untimely demise.
—Jillian Sederholm, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Feb. 2026
In All The Sinners Bleed, haunted by his devout mother’s untimely death, the first Black Sheriff (played by Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù) in a small Bible Belt county must lead the hunt for a serial killer that has been preying on his Black community for years in the name of God.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for untimely
Cite this Entry
“Untimely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/untimely. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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