until

until — preposition

1. used to say that an action, situation, or state continues up to a specific time

1.prepositionA1
Definition

used to say that an action, situation, or state continues up to a specific time and then ends or changes at that point.

Example

The shop stays open until 8 p.m. every evening.

until + clock time

Shanti stayed at school until four o'clock that afternoon.

Common collocations
  • stay until
  • wait until
  • keep until
  • remain until
  • valid until
  • open until
Synonyms
  • till

    informal equivalent; identical meaning but used more in casual speech and British English

  • up to

    slightly less precise; often implies a range ending at a point rather than a hard stop

Antonyms
  • after

    opposite temporal relationship — 'after' marks the point when something begins, not ends

  • from

    marks the starting point of a duration rather than its endpoint

Grammar Patterns

until + [time noun]

until + [event noun/gerund]

Usage Note

The noun or noun phrase after 'until' marks the exact cutting-off point — the action stops when that moment is reached. To express completion by a deadline, use 'by' instead of 'until'.

Common Mistakes

I will finish this report until Friday.
I will finish this report by Friday.
'until' describes a continuous state leading up to a point; 'by' means at or before a deadline.
She is working until she finishes the project.
She will work until she finishes the project.' (conjunction)
with a clause after 'until', use the future tense in the main clause, not the present continuous.

2. paired with a negative word to indicate that something cannot happen until a spe

2.prepositionB1
Definition

paired with a negative word to indicate that something cannot happen until a specific moment arrives — the event must wait for that moment.

Example

The train does not arrive until 10:30 this morning.

does not + until + clock time

Liam won't finish his homework until late tonight.

Common collocations
  • not ... until
  • won't ... until
  • can't ... until
  • don't ... until
  • not due until
  • not ready until
Synonyms
  • not till

    informal version; common in casual speech

  • not ... before

    more direct; lacks the implication of lateness that 'not until' carries

Antonyms
  • as early as

    opposite implication — suggests something happens sooner rather than later

Grammar Patterns

not ... until + [time/event noun]

Usage Note

Frequently paired with a negative auxiliary (don't, won't, can't, isn't). The negative + 'until' combination carries a strong hint that the speaker thinks the time is later than expected.

Common Mistakes

It didn't started until 9 p.m.
It didn't start until 9 p.m.
after a negative auxiliary, the main verb stays in base form, not past tense.
Not until the bus came, she left.
She didn't leave until the bus came.
in standard word order, negate the main verb and place 'until' after it.

3. used to show how far something goes in space or how far a person moves, reaching

3.prepositionA2
Definition

used to show how far something goes in space or how far a person moves, reaching a particular point and then stopping.

Example

Follow this path until the old stone bridge, then cross the stream.

until + landmark noun

The hiking trail runs until the lake shore and ends at a wooden sign.

Common collocations
  • walk until
  • go until
  • continue until
  • run until
  • drive until
  • track until
Synonyms
  • as far as

    more common for spatial distance in everyday speech

  • up to

    also used spatially, especially for points on a path or route

Antonyms
  • from

    marks the starting point rather than the endpoint of a spatial range

Grammar Patterns

until + [place noun]

Usage Note

This spatial sense is less common than the temporal senses. In most cases, 'to' or 'as far as' sounds more natural for distance ('walk to the corner'), but 'until' emphasizes that the movement ends completely at that point.

Common Mistakes

The fence runs to the river until.
The fence runs until the river.
'until' must be placed before its object, not after it.

until — conjunction

Word family

  • till
    prepositionA2
  • till
    conjunctionA2
  • up until
    phraseB1
  • until now
    adverb phraseB1
  • until then
    adverb phraseB1
  • until further notice
    phraseB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: preposition/1

'Until' and 'till' share the same meaning and grammar, but 'till' is informal and more common in casual conversation and British English. 'Up to' is similar but slightly vaguer — it suggests a range ending at a point rather than a sharp cutoff ('up to 50 people' could mean 'as many as 50', not a strict limit). 'Through' implies inclusion of the endpoint: 'open Monday through Friday' means including Friday, whereas 'open Monday until Friday' could mean closing before Friday. 'By' is often confused with 'until' — 'by' marks a deadline for completion ('finish by Friday') while 'until' marks the endpoint of a continuous state ('wait until Friday'). For example: 'I will work until Friday' (I stop on Friday) versus 'I will finish by Friday' (I finish at or before Friday).

till ↗up tothrough ↗by ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • until + clock time
  • until + day/date
  • until + month/year
  • until + age
  • until + event
  • until + place/landmark

Adverbs

  • right up until
  • just until
  • not until
  • only until
  • up until
  • straight until

Phrases

  • until now
  • until then
  • until recently
  • until further notice
  • until the end of
  • until such time as

Etymology

Old NorseMiddle EnglishEnglish

'Until' was formed in Middle English (1200s) by adding the intensifying prefix 'un-' to 'til', which itself came from Old Norse 'til' meaning 'to, up to'. The Old Norse word is related to the English 'till' (still used today) and the German 'Ziel' (aim, goal). The prefix added emphasis — so 'until' originally meant 'right up to'. Over time it became the standard form, while 'till' survived as a more casual alternative.