untimely

USAGE SUMMARY

"untimely" is a correct and usable word in written English.
You can use it when referring to something that has happened too soon or too late. For example, "The untimely death of her father left her feeling overwhelmed with grief."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

On a sad, black-edged day for rugby's brotherhood it speaks volumes for Jerry Collins that his untimely death is being mourned far beyond New Zealand and his native Samoa.

The Guardian - Sport

The memorial was to be about Sophie's life, rather than her untimely death.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

And fellow actor John Simm, who worked with Bird on the Village, wrote: "Such terribly sad news yesterday re the untimely death of the wonderful Antonia Bird.

The Guardian - Film

In the years after that, until her untimely death in a house fire in St Ives, apparently caused by falling asleep with a cigarette, aged 72, Hepworth pursued a singular vision that sought always to find underlying harmonies in the postwar world.

The Guardian - Arts

"Charles's untimely death robs Britain of one of the most gifted politicians of his generation," he said.

The Guardian

Clegg, one of his successors, said: "Charles's untimely death robs Britain of one of the most gifted politicians of his generation.

The Guardian

Related: Charles Kennedy's alcohol problem was also Britain's alcohol problem | Hadley Freeman The Scottish Liberal Democrat leader, Willie Rennie, said he hoped one legacy of Kennedy's untimely death would be a better public understanding of the dangers of excessive drinking.

The Guardian

In truth, given the home side's toils in front of goal all season, there was an inevitability about it all even if Juve could point to untimely illness as having limited their ambitions.

The Guardian - Sport

Nick Clegg led the tributes to one of the party's best-known faces: "Charles's untimely death robs Britain of one of the most gifted politicians of his generation.

The Guardian

They have only two experienced and established central defenders in Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny, so untimely injuries or suspensions would see Nacho Monreal move across to play with Chambers, with an improvised left-back (Mathieu Flamini played this role in 2006).

The Guardian - Sport

The tale of how Apple's visionary boss saved it from oblivion and then turned it into an innovation powerhouse that wowed the world with its iPods, iPhones and iPads is one of the greatest business stories of all time.Since Jobs's untimely death in 2011, there has been plenty of speculation about how Apple will fare without its renowned leader.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing deaths, consider using "untimely" to convey a sense of premature loss or tragedy.

Common error

While "untimely" is widely accepted, it can sometimes sound overly sentimental in highly formal or technical writing. Opt for more neutral alternatives like "premature" or "early" in those cases.

Linguistic Context

The adjective "untimely" primarily functions as an attributive adjective, modifying nouns to describe events or occurrences that happen at an unfortunate or premature time. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage and widespread application across diverse contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

58%

Formal & Business

25%

Science

17%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the adjective "untimely" is a grammatically sound and frequently used term to describe events occurring at an unfortunate or premature time. As highlighted by Ludwig, it often carries an emotional weight, implying regret or disapproval. While versatile, it's essential to consider the context; less formal settings may benefit from "untimely", more formal settings could require "premature" or similar terms. As Ludwig AI confirms, mastering "untimely" hinges on understanding its contextual nuances for effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

premature

Indicates an occurrence that is too early or before the expected time.

inopportune

Highlights the inconvenience or unsuitability of the timing.

ill-timed

Emphasizes the poor timing of an event or action.

unseasonable

Suggests that something is happening out of its normal or expected season.

before time

A more literal way of saying something happened earlier than it should have.

early

A simple term indicating something happened sooner than expected.

bad timing

Informal expression stressing the poor moment in time something occurred.

mistimed

Highlights a mistake in the timing of an action or event.

too soon

Directly states that something happened earlier than was appropriate or desirable.

unfortunate timing

Emphasizes that the moment something occurs isn't ideal or favorable.

FAQs

How to use "untimely" in a sentence?

Use "untimely" to describe events that occur sooner than expected or are inappropriately timed. For instance, "The "untimely death" of the CEO shocked the company".

What can I say instead of "untimely"?

You can use alternatives like "premature", "inopportune", or "ill-timed" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "untimely death" or "untimed death"?

"Untimely death" is correct. "Untimed death" is not a standard or recognized phrase in English.

What's the difference between "untimely" and "premature"?

"Untimely" often carries a stronger emotional connotation, suggesting something happened at an unfortunate or inappropriate time, while "premature" simply means something happened early or before the expected time.