real time

noun

: the actual time during which something takes place
… the computer may partly analyze the data in real time (as it comes in) …R. H. March
chatted online in real time
real-time adjective

Examples of real time in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Operators issue commands that prompt the pigeon to turn left or right, while the GPS tracks the pigeon’s position in real time, similar to how a standard aerial drone is guided. Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 10 Feb. 2026 Puth seemed, perhaps, to be realizing that this was the hardest song ever written in real time as the camera zoomed in on him and his keyboard out on the field on February 8. Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 9 Feb. 2026 The gap between what people experience in real time and what journalism can responsibly publish has widened. Charles Edward Gehrke, Fortune, 9 Feb. 2026 By adjusting force in real time, robots may be able to interact more naturally with fragile objects and unpredictable environments without over-gripping, slipping, or misjudging contact. New Atlas, 8 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for real time

Word History

First Known Use

1946, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of real time was in 1946

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Real time.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/real%20time. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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