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\ ˈtīm 
\
\Definition of time
(Entry 1 of 3)
1a : the measured or measurable period during which an action, process, or condition exists or continues : duration
b : a nonspatial continuum that is measured in terms of events which succeed one another from past through present to future
c : leisure time for reading
2 : the point or period when something occurs : occasion
3a : an appointed, fixed, or customary moment or hour for something to happen, begin, or end arrived ahead of time
b : an opportune or suitable moment decided it was time to retire —often used in the phrase about timeabout time for a change
4a : a historical period : age
b : a division of geologic chronology
c : conditions at present or at some specified period —usually used in pluraltimes are hardmove with the times
d : the present time issues of the time
6 : season very hot for this time of year
8a : a moment, hour, day, or year as indicated by a clock or calendar what time is it
b : any of various systems (such as a sidereal or solar system) of reckoning time
9a : one of a series of recurring instances or repeated actions you've been told many times
b times plural (1) : added or accumulated quantities or instances five times greater
(2) : equal fractional parts of which an indicated number equal a comparatively greater quantity seven times smaller three times closer
c : turn three times at bat
10 : finite as contrasted with infinite duration
11 : a person's experience during a specified period or on a particular occasion a good time a hard time
12a : the hours or days required to be occupied by one's work make up time on company time
b : an hourly pay rate straight time
c : wages paid at discharge or resignation pick up your time and get out
13a : the playing time of a game
b : time-out sense 1
14 : a period during which something is used or available for use computer time
at the same time at times for the time being from time to time in no time in time on time time and again
: nevertheless, yet slick and at the same time strangely unprofessional— Gerald Weaks
: at intervals : occasionally
: for the present
: once in a while : occasionally
: very quickly or soon
1a : at the appointed time
b : on schedule
2 : on the installment plan
time
verbtimed; timing
Definition of time (Entry 2 of 3)
1a : to arrange or set the time of : schedule
b : to regulate (a watch) to keep correct time
2 : to set the tempo, speed, or duration of timed his leap perfectly— Neil Amdur
3 : to cause to keep time with something
4 : to determine or record the time, duration, or rate of time a horse
5 : to dispose (something, such as a mechanical part) so that an action occurs at a desired instant or in a desired way
: to keep or beat time
time
adjectiveDefinition of time (Entry 3 of 3)
1a : of or relating to time
b : recording time
2 : timed to ignite or explode at a specific moment a time charge
3a : payable on a specified future day or a certain length of time after presentation for acceptance a time draft time deposits
b : based on installment payments a time sale
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Examples of time in a Sentence
Noun The two events were separated by time and space. The poem is a reflection on the passage of time. What was happening at that particular moment in time? It has been that way since the beginning of time. If only I could travel back in time and do things differently. They were given a relatively short amount of time to finish the job. The situation has been getting more complicated as time goes by . happening for an extended period of time Would you prefer the meeting to be at an earlier time? Feel free to call me at any time, day or night. Verb They timed their vacation to coincide with the jazz festival. He timed it so that he made the shot just before the clock ran out. She timed the shot perfectly. The runners are timed with special watches. He timed the students as they completed their tests.
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Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Williams, one of the greatest tennis players of all time, has won 39 Grand Slam titles — 23 singles, 14 doubles and 2 mixed doubles — in her career. — USA TODAY, "Serena Williams' daughter makes an adorable doubles partner on the tennis court," 4 July 2020 Nick Krall, the Reds' GM, made the point recently that Castillo has spent a lot of time recently in Cincinnati, getting his regular throwing in. — Dave Clark, The Enquirer, "Jon Morosi: Cincinnati Reds will be MLB playoff team in 2020," 3 July 2020 Skeptics have largely dismissed fears over man’s impact on global warming, saying climate change has been going on since the beginning of time. — Fox News, "Global warming over past 150 years has wiped out 6,500 years of cooling, study says," 3 July 2020 This would also allow owners to try out a feature for a period of time at no charge before committing to buying it. — Peter Valdes-dapena, CNN, "Want a heated steering wheel in your BMW? You'll be able to download one via subscription," 3 July 2020 That’s especially true now, with players put at risk, but this is something the players and fans could do without for the rest of time. — Bruce Jenkins, SFChronicle.com, "NBA hatches a dumb second-bubble plan, but Warriors fans shouldn’t worry," 3 July 2020 Bicentennial, it may have been forgotten by many through the passage of time. — Robert Avery, Houston Chronicle, "Friendswood time capsule waits to be opened in 56 years," 3 July 2020 The team used to play at the stadium for a brief period of time in the 1990s but has spent roughly the past quarter century at FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland. — Mike Brest, Washington Examiner, "Redskins to undergo 'thorough review' of team name," 3 July 2020 Most of the time, the memories are of very minor incidences that for some reason or another are stuck in our minds. — Annie Lane, oregonlive, "Dear Annie: Grandmother seeks reprint of ‘Contract for Drivers’," 3 July 2020 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Federal and state officials struggled to time their reopening efforts in April and May, in some cases ignoring warnings from public health officials. — Author: Eli Rosenberg, Heather Long, Jeff Stein, Anchorage Daily News, "U.S. economy added 4.8 million jobs in June, but fierce new head winds have emerged," 2 July 2020 Few people beyond coastal Alabama knew of Royal Reds just 20 years ago, but today, savvy tourists time their annual Flora-Bama stops and Gulf Shores vacations to coincide with peak harvest. — Sheri Castle, Southern Living, "Everything You Need to Know About Royal Red Shrimp," 30 June 2020 The season’s events are typically so dependable, musicians often time album releases around them. — National Geographic, "'It’s in the genes': New Orleans culture marches on despite the pandemic," 26 June 2020 Amazon may be trying to time its Prime Day sale for when the consumer is in the mood to shop for things that aren’t necessities, and says it’s restocking its distribution centers with that in mind. — Maria Halkias, Dallas News, "What to know about gift cards and other pitfalls of going-out-of-business sales," 11 June 2020 The two are leaders in combine testing — offering players the chance to time their 40-year-dash and record verified height and weight, for example — and allow top players to match up against opponents of the same talent level. — Callie Caplan, Dallas News, "What’s the value of recruiting showcases? Coronavirus cancellations could settle the third-party debate," 17 June 2020 The Columbus Zoo also plans to reopen with reduced capacity and timed entry. — Jackie Borchardt, Cincinnati.com, "Coronavirus in Ohio: Why can't zoos open yet?," 27 May 2020 Structuring a child's day with the Pomodoro timed assignment method can allow parents to work while a child focuses intermittently on school. — Kristen Rogers, CNN, "How to help children with ADHD thrive in a virtual schoolhouse," 23 May 2020 Hilariously, even though the game launched as a timed EGS exclusive, its VR mode requires loading the SteamVR software suite. — Sam Machkovech, Ars Technica, "Epic Games’ biggest PC game sale yet is a coupon frenzy, lasts until June 11," 15 May 2020
See MoreThese example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'time.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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Last Updated
6 Jul 2020
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Cite this Entry
“Time.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/time. Accessed 7 Jul. 2020.
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More Definitions for time
time
nounEnglish Language Learners Definition of time
(Entry 1 of 2)
: the thing that is measured as seconds, minutes, hours, days, years, etc.
: a particular minute or hour shown by a clock
: the time in a particular area or part of the world
time
verbEnglish Language Learners Definition of time (Entry 2 of 2)
: to choose the hour, day, month, etc., when (something) will happen : to schedule (something, such as an event) to happen at a particular time
sports : to cause (something, such as a throw or pass) to happen at a certain moment
: to measure the amount of time needed by someone to do something (such as to finish a race)
See the full definition for time in the English Language Learners Dictionary
time
noun\ ˈtīm \
\Kids Definition of time
(Entry 1 of 2)
1 : a period during which an action, process, or condition exists or continues We've been friends for a long time. “Then it'll look like it was supposed to be there all the time.”— Megan McDonald, Judy Moody
2 : a point or period when something occurs : occasion Remember the time I helped you?
3 : one of a series of repeated instances or actions They visited him many times.
4 : a moment, hour, day, or year as shown by a clock or calendar What time is it?
5 : a set or usual moment or hour for something to occur We arrived on time. It's time to take your medicine.
6 : a historical period : age in ancient times
7 : conditions of a period —usually used in pl.hard times
8 times plural : added quantities or examples five times greater
9 : a person's experience during a certain period She had a good time.
10 : a part of the day when a person is free to do as he or she pleases I found time to read.
11 : rate of speed : tempo
12 : a system of determining time solar time
13 : rhythm
at times for the time being from time to time in time time after time time and again
: sometimes We were, at times, very happy.
: for the present
: once in a while
1 : soon enough
2 : as time goes by : eventually The missing items will reappear in time.
3 : at the correct speed in music
: over and over again
: over and over again
time
verbtimed; timing
Kids Definition of time (Entry 2 of 2)
1 : to arrange or set the point or rate at which something happens The dryer was timed to run for half an hour.
2 : to measure or record the point at which something happens, the length of the period it takes for something to happen, or the rate at which certain actions take place All the racers were timed.
time
noun\ ˈtīm \
\Medical Definition of time
1a : the measured or measurable period during which an action, process, or condition exists or continues — see bleeding time, coagulation time, prothrombin time, reaction time
b : a continuum which lacks spatial dimensions and in which events succeed one another from past through present to future
2 : the point or period when something occurs
3 : a moment, hour, day, or year as indicated by a clock or calendar what time is it
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The first known use of time was before the 12th century
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