timely
English · Thesaurus
AI In plain words
Writing a short explanation…
Written by a house AI from the entry below, in your language. The entry itself is the source.
timely
- /ˈtaɪm.li/
Where it comes from
From Middle English timely, tymely, timliche, from Old English tīmlīc (adjective) and tīmlīċe (“in good time; timely; soon”, adverb), equivalent to time + -ly. Cognate with Danish timelig, Swedish timlig, Icelandic tímalegur, tímanlegur.
adjective timelier · timeliest
-
Done at the proper time or within the proper time limits; prompt.
If the whistleblower submitted a timely response, pursuant to Step 9, the Claims Review Staff will consider the issues, along with any supporting documentation, and make its Proposed Final Determination.
Similar: on time, well-timed, in time, prompt, punctual, seasonable, timely · Opposite: ill-timed, late, backward, behindhand, belated, lated, overdue, tardy
-
Happening or appearing at the proper time.
[…] and the timely dew of sleep, / Now falling with soft slumbrous weight, inclines / Our eye-lids […]
Similar: opportune, seasonable · Opposite: inopportune, unseasonable, ill-timed, intempestive, mistimed, timeless, untime, untimely, untimeous
- Keeping time or measure. High lifted up were many loftie towres, / And goodly galleries farre over laid, / Full of faire windowes and delightful bowres; / And on the top a Diall told the timely howres.
Similar: well-timed, tempestive, opportune, seasonable, tidy, timeful, timely, timeous, heaven-sent, timesome · Opposite: untimely
adverb more timely · most timely
- In good time; early, quickly. If I had been born more timely, he said, Rhaegar would have married me instead of Elia, and it would all have come out different.
- At the right time; seasonably. And this we shall more readily perform, if we timely survey our knowledge, impartially singling out those encroachments, which junior compliance and popular credulity hath admitted.
- In compliance with applicable time limits. On May 14, 1997, the jury convicted the defendant, who currently is serving a fifteen-month sentence. The defendant timely appeals.
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: punctual, well-timed, seasonably, seasonable, opportune, apropos, well timed, timeously, punctuality, punctually, opportunely, promptly, soon, immediately, forthwith, immediate
adjective
Similar: well-timed, tempestive, opportune, seasonable, tidy, timeful, timely, timeous, heaven-sent, timesome · Opposite: untimely
Translations
Every language
adj done at the proper time
| 日本語 | 適時の tekiji no, 渡りに舟の watari ni fune nono |
|---|---|
| 中文 | 及時 /及时 jíshí, 適時 /适时 shìshí |
| Português | oportuno |
| Deutsch | zeitgerecht, fristgerecht, zur rechten Zeit, rechtzeitig, zeitnah, zügig |
| Italiano | tempestivo |
| Русский | своевре́менный svojevrémennyj |
| العربية | فِي حِينِهِ fī ḥīnihi, فِي الْوَقْت الْمُنَاسِب fī l-waqt al-munāsib |
adj happening or appearing at the proper time
| Português | oportuno |
|---|---|
| Français | opportun, au bon moment |
| Deutsch | rechtzeitig, zeitgemäß, frühzeitig |
| Italiano | opportuno, tempestivo |
| Tiếng Việt | hợp thời |
Talk about this word "timely." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/timely. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. timely. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/timely "timely." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/timely.Cite this
@misc{timely_2026,
title = {timely},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/timely},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
