# untimely

/ənˈtaɪmɫi/ (US) · /ʌntˈaɪmli/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/untimely
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. happening too soon

adjective · CEFR B2 · Formal

happening earlier than expected, especially when referring to a person's death.

For teachers: occurring before the natural or expected time; frequently used as a euphemism for a premature death.

- The news of the young actor's untimely death shocked his fans around the world.
- The company struggled to recover following the untimely departure of its founder, whose vision had guided every major project for a decade.

### 2. at a bad time

adjective · CEFR B2 · Formal

happening at a time that is not suitable or causes problems.

For teachers: occurring at an inopportune or inconvenient moment.

- An untimely power cut ruined the chef's plans for the big dinner party.
- The sudden rainstorm proved to be an untimely interruption for the outdoor wedding ceremony, forcing the guests to seek shelter in the small chapel.

### 3. done too early

adverb · CEFR C1 · Literary · Formal

happening or done before the right time.

For teachers: occurring prematurely or at an inappropriate time. Often functions as a flat adverb in formal or literary contexts.

- The blossoms appeared untimely due to the unusually warm winter weather.
- The frost arrived untimely, destroying the harvest before the farmers had a chance to gather the remaining crops.

## Examples

- His untimely arrival interrupted our private conversation.
- The project faced several delays following the untimely departure of the lead engineer mid-way through the development phase.
- The sudden and untimely frost destroyed the blossoms before they could be pollinated, leading to a significantly reduced harvest for the local orchards that autumn.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.