until

Examples

• All

• We won't have to leave the house until Tuesday.

  The Hustler (1961)

• Keep this account until October of this year.

  Be Clever With Your Cash

• And that might work very well until you have children.

• What, you want to wait until tomorrow afternoon?

  Hell of a Summer (2023)

• There was no news of what happened to them until after the war.

  Academic text (2011)

• And you're not going to see her until Monday.

• Don't settle for Plan B until you have tried Plan A.

• Jacovich is in San Francisco until tomorrow afternoon.

  The China Syndrome (1979)

• The students were not told which excerpt they would conduct until their designated conducting time.

  Academic text (2011)

• Until then, you are banished until you satisfy this requirement.

  Jack Be Nimble (2022)

Synonyms

T

till

vsuntil

∞ 1.0

Up to the time when something happens

is the same idea but uses a longer, more standard form

S

so far

vsuntil

∞ 1.0

Up to now

is the standard temporal link for named events rather than progress reports

U

until now

vsuntil

292 1.0

Up to the present time

is general for any mentioned time, not only the present

'

'til

vsuntil

• Informal

212 7.6

Up to a certain time or event

is the same meaning but uses the full, noncontracted form

U

up to now

vsuntil

33 1.6

Before now, until the present moment

is broader, applying to any named time or event, not only present

H

heretofore

vsuntil

• Formal

18 9.7

Before this time

is the neutral everyday version used across general contexts

H

hitherto

vsuntil

• Archaic

12 8.2

Up to now

is the everyday form used in normal speech and writing

T

theretofore

vsuntil

• Archaic

1 9.9

Before that time

is the general presentable phrase for up to a mentioned time

Antonyms

A

after

∞ 1.0

At a later time than something else

O

once

∞ 1.0

Right after one thing happens

Idioms

U

until now

292 1.0

Up to the present time

U

until the cows come home

• Informal

3 8.5

For a very long time that seems to never end

U

until hell freezes over

• Informal

2 9.5

For a very long time, often to say something will never happen

U

until the wheels fall off

• Informal

1 8.6

Continue doing something with energy until you can no longer

U

until kingdom come

• Informal

1 8.6

For a very long time, possibly forever

W

to wait until the dust settles

• Informal

1 6.0

To delay action or decisions until things become clearer

U

until the last dog is hung

• Informal

9.9

To keep supporting something until the very end, no matter how long it takes

Surface Forms

Etymology