as in early
occurring before the usual or expected time
the untimely arrival of our guests caught us by surprise
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 untimely
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, 70 There hasn’t been an Italian pope since the untimely death of John Paul I in 1978, which may not seem that long a time until considering Italians occupied the papacy for the 455 years until that point.
—
Jorge L. Ortiz, USA Today, 6 May 2025
Saturday, he felt victimized by bad luck by an untimely safety car in the Sprint race won by Norris and his own mistakes that kept him getting more out of his car while qualifying fourth.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 5 May 2025
Set more than a decade after Jane’s untimely death, this bit of historical fiction follows her beloved older (and only) sister, Cassandra, sensitively portrayed by executive producer Keeley Hawes, and imagines the circumstances that led her to destroy thousands of the author’s personal letters.
—Judy Berman, Time, 2 May 2025
Nearly 28 years after her untimely death in a Paris car accident in 1997, the world is still utterly compelled by her.
—Rachel Burchfield, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for untimely
Jorge L. Ortiz, USA Today, 6 May 2025
Saturday, he felt victimized by bad luck by an untimely safety car in the Sprint race won by Norris and his own mistakes that kept him getting more out of his car while qualifying fourth.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 5 May 2025
Set more than a decade after Jane’s untimely death, this bit of historical fiction follows her beloved older (and only) sister, Cassandra, sensitively portrayed by executive producer Keeley Hawes, and imagines the circumstances that led her to destroy thousands of the author’s personal letters.
—Judy Berman, Time, 2 May 2025
Nearly 28 years after her untimely death in a Paris car accident in 1997, the world is still utterly compelled by her.
—Rachel Burchfield, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for untimely
Recent Examples of Synonyms for untimely
Adjective
-
Shares of Lionsgate Studios slipped more than 7% in early trading.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
5 May 2025
-
For brands, early adoption sends a credible signal of sustainability leadership to consumers and investors while securing long-term supply chain resilience.—
Ken Katz,
Sourcing Journal,
5 May 2025
Adjective
-
But the president’s declaration of victory may be premature.—
The Editors,
National Review,
8 May 2025
-
New research is supporting this movement, revealing that foods in this category are linked to premature deaths in eight countries.—
Angelica Stabile,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
In a speech Thursday, Fed Chair Jerome Powell suggested rates could be higher in the long term because of unexpected events that constrain supplies and push up prices.—
Paul Davidson,
USA Today,
16 May 2025
-
Loosely inspired by real athletes, the film follows a British-Polish fighter whose meteoric rise is derailed by an unexpected pregnancy.—
Sara Merican,
Deadline,
15 May 2025
Adjective
-
In practical terms, a sudden revocation of a nonprofit’s status would instantly derail PSLF credit for its employees through no fault of their own.—
Shahar Ziv,
Forbes.com,
13 May 2025
-
His retirement wasn’t sudden, and the scheduling team has slowly been preparing for this transition over the past few years.—
Jayna Bardahl,
New York Times,
13 May 2025
Adjective
-
Putting pressure on the opponent This roster appears to be well-built for low-scoring games in April, which can swing on an inopportune error or a heads-up base-running decision.—
Patrick Mooney,
New York Times,
9 Apr. 2025
-
His injury came at an inopportune time, considering starting point guard Jalen Brunson was already out with a right ankle sprain.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
7 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Untimely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/untimely. Accessed 22 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share