premature

adjective

ˌprē-mə-ˈchu̇r How to pronounce premature (audio)
Definition of prematurenext
as in early
occurring before the usual or expected time his premature arrival at his own surprise party almost ruined everything

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of premature The Who’s 1982 farewell tour was famously premature by several decades. — Rodney Ho, AJC.com, 15 Oct. 2026 Making any kind of an assessment on players who only arrived at the club in August and have been signed for the next five years is a bit premature. — Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026 If judgment is causing premature rejection of an employee’s approach, the manager can ask what evidence actually supports that judgment. — Thomas Lim, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026 Trump administration attorneys contended that an injunction was premature; planning was ongoing, thus problems the Nation envisioned could still be addressed. — Ryan Devereaux, ProPublica, 10 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for premature
Recent Examples of Synonyms for premature
  1. early
  2. untimely
  3. unexpected
  4. sudden
  5. precocious
  6. inopportune
Adjective
  • In August 2023, Bangs offered LaGrone an earlier plea agreement under which he would have been sentenced to 25 years in prison, according to a record in the district clerk’s file.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Staying invested The survey, conducted between late August and early September, included 2,029 American investors with at least $10,000 in investable assets and 538 financial advisers and financial professionals.
    — Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of early
Adjective
  • Senna holds an immortal presence in modern Formula 1 for the manner of his racing—ferocious, endowed with grace—and for his untimely death.
    — Sam Knight, New Yorker, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The Bulldogs’ streak of 53 consecutive wins against unranked teams came to an end with a 27-24 loss keyed by three Gunner Stockton turnovers, untimely penalties and a fresh Tigers team coming off a bye week that won at the line of scrimmage.
    — Mike Griffith, AJC.com, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of untimely
Adjective
  • Key Takeaways The experiment revealed an unexpected way to manipulate the weak magnetism inside an atomic nucleus.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Still, something unexpected may force you to try a different method, schedule, or approach that ends up working better.
    — Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of unexpected
Adjective
  • Lucy leaves their countryside home with Johnny immediately, going straight to her mother’s house ( Catherine Deneuve plays mom), but avoids telling her, or anyone else, the specifics of this sudden separation.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 28 Oct. 2026
  • All of a sudden, the war took on a more present form, unsettling a kingdom unused to conflicts playing out on home turf.
    — Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of sudden
Adjective
  • The rookie’s performance called to mind what linebackers coach Frank Bush had said last week about his precocious pupil.
    — Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Eddie saw a fiery, competitive streak in his younger brother at a precocious age.
    — Patrick Z. McGavin, Chicago Tribune, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of precocious
Adjective
  • Investing in a long-term vision The company's expansion in India may be coming at both an opportune and inopportune time, according to experts.
    — Laya Neelakandan, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026
  • But like a bell on a cat, that can betray you at the most inopportune times.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of inopportune

Browse Nearby Words

premarital
premature
prematurely
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Cite this Entry

“Premature.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/premature. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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