as in early
before the usual or expected time
a baby born three weeks prematurely
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Recent Examples of prematurely
Players love to kid Odor — the second baseman with 31 home runs and a memorable punch to Jose Bautista’s jaw — about his prematurely thinning hair.
—
Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 21 Apr. 2026
The county’s child welfare agency had been involved with Jaxon since birth, according to his father, who said the boy he was born nearly eight weeks prematurely and showed signs of fetal alcohol syndrome.
—Julia Prodis Sulek, Mercury News, 20 Apr. 2026
Carrington was absent while meeting with team doctors to assess a left foot injury that ended her 2025 season prematurely.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 19 Apr. 2026
While presenting the Best Picture award at the 2001 Golden Globe Awards, Elizabeth Taylor was called out by an audience member for prematurely opening the envelope containing the winner’s name, per Vulture.
—Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 15 Apr. 2026
This bipartisan legislation protects people with kidney disease from private insurance pushing dialysis patients off their plan prematurely.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 13 Apr. 2026
Instead of replacing them prematurely, use a lint roller to clean them in place.
—Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 11 Apr. 2026
Several viable sites were dismissed prematurely or without adequate analysis.
—Charles Rilli, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Apr. 2026
Unless the first run ended prematurely and needs a fresh ending, series that are remembered fondly enough to spur revivals typically hold a special place in viewers’ hearts.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 10 Apr. 2026
Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 21 Apr. 2026
The county’s child welfare agency had been involved with Jaxon since birth, according to his father, who said the boy he was born nearly eight weeks prematurely and showed signs of fetal alcohol syndrome.
—Julia Prodis Sulek, Mercury News, 20 Apr. 2026
Carrington was absent while meeting with team doctors to assess a left foot injury that ended her 2025 season prematurely.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 19 Apr. 2026
While presenting the Best Picture award at the 2001 Golden Globe Awards, Elizabeth Taylor was called out by an audience member for prematurely opening the envelope containing the winner’s name, per Vulture.
—Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 15 Apr. 2026
This bipartisan legislation protects people with kidney disease from private insurance pushing dialysis patients off their plan prematurely.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 13 Apr. 2026
Instead of replacing them prematurely, use a lint roller to clean them in place.
—Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 11 Apr. 2026
Several viable sites were dismissed prematurely or without adequate analysis.
—Charles Rilli, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Apr. 2026
Unless the first run ended prematurely and needs a fresh ending, series that are remembered fondly enough to spur revivals typically hold a special place in viewers’ hearts.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 10 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prematurely
early
Adverb
-
Those injuries compounded a rotation that was already without Justin Steele, who is recovering from elbow surgery last season and is expected back early in the summer, and depth option Jordan Wicks, who is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment with Iowa on Saturday.—
Andy Martinez,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Apr. 2026
-
Jacob had left for a hunting trip earlier that afternoon.—
Samantha Stutsman,
PEOPLE,
18 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Prematurely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prematurely. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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