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
Following his untimely death, Hart has continued to be remembered for his wrestling skills, but also as a beloved husband, father, friend and colleague.
—
Makena Gera, PEOPLE, 23 May 2026
The court agreed with the jury’s determination that Altman and OpenAI were not liable, and therefore claims of breach of charitable trust and unjust enrichment are dismissed as untimely.
—Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 19 May 2026
Those chasing him with a better golfing pedigree — even Alex Smalley and Matti Schmid, who also took turns atop the leaderboard while going for their first win — were undone by untimely mistakes or failure to get good looks at birdie.
—ABC News, 17 May 2026
Johnson’s untimely exit, meanwhile, leaves the city without a top official just months before voters in the November election may decide on a new governance structure that could reduce the city administrator’s day-to-day authority by elevating the mayor’s administrative power.
—Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 17 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for untimely
Makena Gera, PEOPLE, 23 May 2026
The court agreed with the jury’s determination that Altman and OpenAI were not liable, and therefore claims of breach of charitable trust and unjust enrichment are dismissed as untimely.
—Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 19 May 2026
Those chasing him with a better golfing pedigree — even Alex Smalley and Matti Schmid, who also took turns atop the leaderboard while going for their first win — were undone by untimely mistakes or failure to get good looks at birdie.
—ABC News, 17 May 2026
Johnson’s untimely exit, meanwhile, leaves the city without a top official just months before voters in the November election may decide on a new governance structure that could reduce the city administrator’s day-to-day authority by elevating the mayor’s administrative power.
—Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 17 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for untimely
Recent Examples of Synonyms for untimely
Adjective
-
The intelligence-gathering site became another means by which Israel could collect information on Iranian military movements and facilities, as well as potentially providing early warning of missile launches.—
Tal Shalev,
CNN Money,
5 June 2026
-
Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum stated that the promenade would connect the back side of the Lincoln Memorial to the Potomac River and that the promenade was a part of the McMillian Plan, the early 20th century plan that laid out the National Mall.—
James Powel,
USA Today,
5 June 2026
Adjective
-
The cost of premature action is highly visible and easily attributed.—
Dr. Aditya Vikram Kashyap,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
-
That might be a little premature, however.—
Jack Lang,
New York Times,
1 June 2026
Adjective
-
Brith, who is ahead and in charge, is taking as her guide the stream, which sparks in the sunlight, cutting a narrow channel through the hillside, weaving itself around rocks and tree trunks, appearing and disappearing, diving underground then springing up in unexpected places.—
Maggie O’Farrell,
Literary Hub,
2 June 2026
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Bathrooms offer floor-to-ceiling black-and-white tile and benefit from natural light, adding an unexpected touch of polish to the otherwise playful design.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
Adjective
-
Earthquakes' sudden, rapid shaking can cause fires, tsunamis, landslides or avalanches.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
4 June 2026
-
There was a sudden flourishing of knives, blades flashing in the market lights.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 June 2026
Adjective
-
Invading during inopportune weather would spell certain doom for Allied troops and a potentially fatal blow to their efforts against the Axis powers.—
Barry Levitt,
Time,
29 May 2026
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But most of them are caused by Patricia, who keeps re-entering the room — the same space that was once the Warrens’ bedroom — at inopportune moments.—
Jen Chaney,
Vulture,
27 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Untimely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/untimely. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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