untimely
Americanadjective
-
not timely; not occurring at a suitable time or season; ill-timed or inopportune.
An untimely downpour stopped the game.
- Synonyms:
- unsuitable, inconvenient, inappropriate, unseasonable
-
happening too soon or too early; premature.
his untimely demise.
adverb
adjective
-
occurring before the expected, normal, or proper time
an untimely death
-
inappropriate to the occasion, time, or season
his joking at the funeral was most untimely
adverb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of untimely
First recorded in 1150–1200, untimely is from the Middle English word untimliche. See un- 1, timely
Explanation
Something untimely has occurred prematurely, and it's usually not good news. If you hear about someone's untimely death, it must mean it was an unexpected death. When something is timely, it happens at the right time. When something is untimely, it means the opposite: it happened at an unfortunate or unexpected time. Usually, this means it happened much too early. The most common use of this term is probably in discussing someone’s untimely death, meaning they died young. Other disasters that happen to young people might be described as untimely as well.
Vocabulary lists containing untimely
Romeo and Juliet
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"Letter from Birmingham Jail" by Martin Luther King, Jr. (1963)
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The Tragedy of Macbeth
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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.
Untimely rains and hailstorms could damage India's key winter-sown crops such as wheat, rapeseed and chickpeas just before harvesting begins for plants that have already suffered some heat stress, industry and weather department officials said.
From Reuters • Mar. 15, 2023
Untimely rains have also fueled the mosquito population by increasing humidity levels and contributing to standing water in the environment.
From Salon • Sep. 25, 2022
Untimely sacks were an issue early on Sunday, with a pair of third-down breakdowns stopping drives.
From Seattle Times • Nov. 29, 2021
Untimely holding penalties, a poor running game and inconsistency at quarterback are all factors.
From Washington Times • Oct. 28, 2016
Where the sun Stays at his limit, dost thou rise in flood Untimely; such try right: to other lands Bearing try winter: and by both the poles Thou only wanderest.
From Pharsalia; Dramatic Episodes of the Civil Wars by Lucan
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.
