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Meaning & use

prematurely

adverb·Academic

Last updated

UK/ˈpremətʃəli/
US/ˌpriːməˈtʃʊrli/

Meanings

  1. adverbnot comparable

    Sooner than is normal, expected or sensible.

    Grammar: Usually follows or comes before the verb: ended prematurely, prematurely announced.

    Patterns

    • end prematurely
    • act prematurely
    • be prematurely announced

    The meeting ended prematurely when the power went out.

    He prematurely announced his retirement and then changed his mind.

    The fruit was picked prematurely and tasted sour.

  2. adverbnot comparablemedical

    Before the normal point in pregnancy, referring to a baby born too early.

    Grammar: Used mainly with born, delivered or arrive in medical contexts.

    Patterns

    • be born prematurely

    The twins were born prematurely, at thirty-three weeks.

    Babies who arrive prematurely may need special care.

    She gave birth prematurely but both are doing well.

Common combinations

born prematurely
The baby was born prematurely and stayed in hospital for a month.
end prematurely
Her career ended prematurely because of injury.
celebrate prematurely
We celebrated prematurely and then lost the match.
prematurely aged
Stress left him prematurely aged.
die prematurely
Smoking causes many people to die prematurely.

Synonyms and how they differ

early
Early is the everyday word and is neutral, while prematurely suggests too early, often with a negative result.
too soon
Too soon is a plain phrase that sounds more casual, and prematurely is more formal.
untimely
Untimely is an adjective (and old adverb) used for sad events like deaths, which is narrower than prematurely.
hastily
Hastily describes rushing in how something is done, while prematurely is about the time it happens.

Opposites

belatedlylate

Word family

premature adjective
happening before the proper time
prematurity noun
the condition of being born early or happening too soon
mature adjective
fully grown or developed
immature adjective
not fully developed

Commonly confused: prematurely or previously? prematurely or premature?

prematurely vs previously

Previously means at an earlier time, not too early. Prematurely carries the idea that the timing was wrong.

prematurely vs premature

Premature is the adjective, and prematurely is the adverb: a premature baby, born prematurely.

Practice

The fans left the stadium ___ and missed the winning goal.

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