timely

Timely is an adjective describing something that occurs at the right or opportune moment. It is used for information, actions, or interventions that are useful precisely because they arrive when needed. A timely warning, for example, may prevent harm, while timely publication can maximize impact. Timely emphasizes the suitability of timing rather than speed alone.

Etymology traces to time plus the suffix -ly, forming an adjective that has long conveyed appropriateness of timing. The sense of being advantageous or fitting at a particular moment has been attested in English since the Middle Ages.

Usage and context: Timely is common in journalism, medicine, policy, law, and everyday speech. It often pairs with nouns like information, intervention, response, or disclosure. The phrase in a timely manner (or in a timely fashion) is also widely used to describe actions completed with appropriate promptness.

Differences and related terms: Untimely is the opposite, meaning occurring too late or at an unsuitable time. Related terms include opportune and well-timed, which share the sense of favorable timing, while punctual refers to arriving at a scheduled time and does not necessarily imply usefulness or relevance.

See also: punctuality, opportune, well-timed, promptness.