as in early
occurring before the usual or expected time
the untimely arrival of our guests caught us by surprise
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Recent Examples of untimely
Todd Meadows' untimely death was captured on camera, according to one of his Deadliest Catch costars.
—
Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Mar. 2026
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
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
Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Mar. 2026
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for untimely
Adjective
-
Promenade in Brea are smaller examples of the town center concept that dates to the early 1990s, after the success of Reston Town Center in Virginia.—
Roger Vincent,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 2026
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She was becoming influenced by social scientists such as the French philosopher Auguste Comte, who were less concerned with enshrining individual rights than with imposing a social order—a departure from her earlier universalist thinking.—
Moira Donegan,
New Yorker,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
SpaceX conducted five Starship flight tests in 2025, the first three of which ended in disaster when the vehicle met a premature fiery demise before completing many key objectives.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
10 Mar. 2026
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Yet the condition can lead to heart disease, diabetes, stroke, depression and even premature death if left untreated.—
Sandee LaMotte,
CNN Money,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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That’s a strong hook, but Thai filmmaker Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke is just getting started with an erotic political tragicomedy that, like a Roomba, is forever veering off in unexpected directions.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
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General Daily Insight for March 09, 2026 Cosmic wisdom can guide us to unexpected paths forward.—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Earthquakes' sudden, rapid shaking can cause fires, tsunamis, landslides or avalanches.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
12 Mar. 2026
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Garry Moore, 66, pleaded guilty in January to voluntary manslaughter, a Level 2 felony, under sudden heat.—
Meredith Colias-Pete,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
One day her husband came home at an inopportune time.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 Feb. 2026
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The timing is inopportune because Smith, 48, must now transition into promo mode as the wildly popular, long-running hard-rock band now has a world tour dubbed Dance Kid Dance Act II kicking off in May, and a new album, EI8HT, due May 29.—
Kory Grow,
Rolling Stone,
17 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Untimely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/untimely. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.
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