Occurring at a moment when it is especially useful or appropriate.
Reach for it when praising help, information, or action whose timing increased its value
A timely warning gave residents two hours to move their cars from the floodplain.
| playful | |
|---|---|
| everyday | |
| warm | |
| professional | |
| formal | |
| literary |
playful
just in time
Fits when narrow avoidance of delay suits an informal account
Careful The phrase implies a near miss and is wrong for calm advance planning.
everyday
Fits when meeting an agreed clock time matters
Careful Punctual does not mean the action was useful or appropriately scheduled.
everyday
Fits when exact placement in time is the achievement
Careful Well-timed can imply strategy or comedy and says less about practical usefulness.
warm
Fits when the recipient's relief or pleasure is central
Careful Welcome help can be late, while timely specifically praises when it arrived.
professional
Fits when speed after a need appears matters
Careful Prompt action can still come at an unhelpful moment or before enough facts are known.
professional
Fits when fit to the current issue matters more than clock time
Careful Relevant information may arrive too late to be useful.
formal
Fits when circumstances make the moment advantageous
Careful Opportune can sound self-interested rather than helpful.
literary
seasonable
Fits when suitability to a season or occasion is meant
Careful Seasonable is rare and often concerns weather or agriculture.
timely reminder
A timely reminder prevented the permit from expiring during the holiday.
timely intervention
The timely intervention stopped a minor disagreement from becoming personal.
timely response
A timely response told the family what was known before speculation spread.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Vealhurl, Southern England accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Updated
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