until

The word “until” means up to the point in time that something happens. In plain terms, marks the point in time (or condition) up to which something continues.

“Until” is pronounced uhn-TIHL (/ʌnˈtɪl/ in IPA).

Here is “until” used in a sentence: “We waited until sunrise before setting off.”

Words with a similar meaning to “until” include till, 'til, up to, unto, while and whilom.

The opposite of “until” — its antonyms — is since.

Depending on how it is used, “until” can be a preposition and a conjunction.

“Until” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.

“Until” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: up to the point in time that something happens.

'Until' and 'till' mean exactly the same thing and are both correct. 'Till' is not a lazy shortening of 'until' — it is actually the older word. In practice 'until' feels a little more formal and is the usual choice at the start of a sentence, while the clipped form 'til stays informal.

'Until' describes something continuing right up to a point in time — 'wait until six'. 'By' sets a deadline meaning 'no later than' — 'finish it by six'. Use 'until' for an ongoing action that stops at that moment, and 'by' for something completed at any point beforehand.

Despite looking similar, they are not interchangeable. 'Until' refers to time, meaning up to a certain point. 'Unto' is an old-fashioned word meaning 'to' or 'towards', found mainly in older or biblical writing, as in 'do unto others'. In modern English, use 'until' for time and 'to' otherwise.

Yes. You can open a sentence with 'until' to set up a condition or time frame, as in 'Until the results arrive, we can only wait.' A comma normally follows the opening clause. This structure simply moves the time reference to the front for emphasis.