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
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
Gummer broke hearts and has earned early Emmy buzz—especially for her work in the final episode of the series, in which Caroline reckons with the untimely death of her brother and his wife.
—Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 5 May 2026
The untimely passing of curator Koyo Kouoh, the artistic director of the 2026 Venice Biennale, has been deeply felt throughout the art world for the past year.
—Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 4 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for untimely
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
Gummer broke hearts and has earned early Emmy buzz—especially for her work in the final episode of the series, in which Caroline reckons with the untimely death of her brother and his wife.
—Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 5 May 2026
The untimely passing of curator Koyo Kouoh, the artistic director of the 2026 Venice Biennale, has been deeply felt throughout the art world for the past year.
—Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 4 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for untimely
Recent Examples of Synonyms for untimely
Adjective
-
The executive producer and star points to earlier moments in the season, like when Ruben flinched at the sight of his dad through his bedroom window.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 May 2026
-
Both players suffered early-career injuries.—
Ramon Padilla,
USA Today,
29 May 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
-
Apple will consider several signals before locking a phone, including those from the phone’s accelerometer, which measures its movement, vibrations, and sudden shocks.—
Jibin Joseph,
PC Magazine,
27 May 2026
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Parents may notice subtle warning signs like skipping meals, cutting out entire food groups, anxiety around social eating, obsessive label reading, excessive exercise, or a sudden focus on body image.—
LeeAnn Weintraub,
Oc Register,
27 May 2026
Adjective
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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
-
There’s the brooding, damaged Creasy, who confusingly passes out at inopportune moments owing to his trauma; an international setting (Italy in the book and first film, Mexico City in the 2004 movie); and a young woman who breaks through his defenses and teaches him to feel again.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Untimely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/untimely. Accessed 3 Jun. 2026.
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