timely
Americanadjective
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occurring at a suitable time; opportune; well-timed.
Our priority is to identify threats against the U.S. and provide accurate, timely warnings.
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occurring within an expected time frame; prompt.
To ensure timely delivery, orders with multiple products may ship separately.
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Archaic. early.
adverb
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seasonably; opportunely.
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Archaic. early or soon.
adjective
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at the right or an opportune or appropriate time
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an archaic word for early
Synonym Usage
See opportune.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
Etymology
Origin of timely
First recorded before 1000; Middle English tim(e)liche, Old English tīmlīce (adverb); see time, -ly
Explanation
If something is finished quickly or on time, then it's been done in a timely manner. Homework, thank-you notes, and your taxes are just a few things that you should complete in a timely manner. Hear that clock ticking? That's the time limit for learning this word in a timely fashion. But the word timely isn't always about speed — being timely can also mean being well-timed or doing something at the most appropriate moment. If you're going for a job interview, it's important to make a timely arrival. And if you bump into friends just when they were wondering how you were doing, then you've made a timely appearance.
Vocabulary lists containing timely
"Macbeth" Vocabulary from Act III
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Vocabulary from "There Will Never Be an Age of Artificial Intimacy," by Sherry Turkle
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"The Tragedy of Macbeth," Vocabulary from Act 2
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The agency rationalizes its proposal as seeking “a tradeoff between reducing regulatory burdens ... and promoting efficient financial markets through timely disclosure.”
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 8, 2026
It also releases a less timely survey of payroll employment, earnings and hours, and job vacancies and employment insurance statistics.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 8, 2026
The carefree, sweat-drenched timelessness of Madonna’s new music couldn’t help but scratch against a very timely problem: Everything’s really bad, and finding space to let yourself forget that is increasingly difficult.
From Salon • Jul. 8, 2026
A spokesperson for the Student Loans Company said they "recognise the importance of ensuring that students and borrowers across all repayment plans have access to clear, accurate and timely information about student finance".
From BBC • Jul. 6, 2026
I was born in the middle of World War II. From earliest awareness, my mother’s stories always timely, I watched for three airplanes parting.
From "The Woman Warrior" by Maxine Hong Kingston
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
