premature

adjective

ˌprē-mə-ˈchu̇r How to pronounce premature (audio)
Definition of prematurenext
as in early
occurring before the usual or expected time his premature arrival at his own surprise party almost ruined everything

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 premature Hormone therapy is also used to treat premature menopause if a woman has had her ovaries removed. — Mara Gordon, NPR, 7 Aug. 2026 The result is wasted energy, higher utility bills, uncomfortable rooms and premature equipment failures. — Brynn Cooksey, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026 The aim of the brand’s new launch is to halt premature scalp aging. — Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 5 Aug. 2026 The resolution cites research showing extreme heat contributes to thousands of premature deaths each year and mentions that parts of southwest Atlanta have limited access to central air conditioning and face higher heat vulnerability. — CBS News, 5 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for premature
Recent Examples of Synonyms for premature
  1. early
  2. untimely
  3. unexpected
  4. sudden
  5. precocious
  6. inopportune
Adjective
  • Winds in the early afternoon Saturday will last for several hours.
    — Mary Gilbert, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Two grandparents and their 3-year-old grandson were killed after multiple Russian drones destroyed their home in the Brovary district of Kyiv region, northeast of the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, early Saturday.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of early
Adjective
  • In the years that have followed Monroe’s untimely death, her home has changed hands several times.
    — Alex Gurley, PEOPLE, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Tom Holland and Zendaya buried any rumblings of cinema’s untimely demise under $360 million this weekend by leading two massive films to unprecedented success at the box office.
    — Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of untimely
Adjective
  • She’s gone for unexpected pairings and silhouettes, including a blazer with satin short shorts, voluminous detached sleeves, and a chainmail-like armor made breezy through fringe.
    — Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Compressed color values—in contrast to the wide modulations in tone that Cassatt allowed elsewhere—heighten the sense of mass, while unexpected bright blue outlines seal their contours.
    — Carmen Rosenberg-Miller, Artforum, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of unexpected
Adjective
  • In the path of totality, a low, milky sky may hide the corona, but that also makes the darkness feel heavier and more sudden.
    — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The former employee said that there are informal support groups among alumni, more for navigating a flood of financial advisors and figuring out what to do with sudden wealth than for organizing trades.
    — Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of sudden
Adjective
  • Clearly influenced by Berger, Yoon develops the idea London introduced with only rough-hewn melodrama over a century before, that a precocious enough dog might offer a unique window onto human character.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Alisan Porter, playing Curly Sue’s 7-year-old title character, is undeniably a charmingly precocious kid who gets in a few great lines.
    — Al Shipley, SPIN, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of precocious
Adjective
  • Getty Images The Philadelphia Phillies are in the final days before the MLB trade deadline searching for answers to an offense that has stalled at an inopportune time.
    — Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
  • American fans will rue the fact that such a feel-good story ended in embarrassment on and off the field as a US president who loves the spotlight seized it at an inopportune time and then a promising team crashed out in the worst way possible.
    — Ben Church, CNN Money, 7 July 2026
Definition of inopportune

Browse Nearby Words

premarital
premature
prematurely
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Cite this Entry

“Premature.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/premature. Accessed 12 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of premature for Spanish Speakers

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