How to Use when in a Sentence

when

adverb
  • It was a time when people didn't have to lock their doors.
  • When is the next performance?
  • We're still waiting for the test results, when we'll decide our next move.
  • The detective asked me when I last saw her.
  • When did the American Civil War begin?
  • That was back in a time when there weren’t so many bowls.
    Tim Sullivan, USA TODAY, 27 Mar. 2021
  • But when Cousins will throw to Smith again is not known.
    Mark Inabinett | Minabinett@al.com, al, 31 Aug. 2021
  • The quickest way is when it's inhaled through the lungs.
    Justin Madden, cleveland.com, 19 July 2017
  • That's how the Bucks planned things when the area around the new arena was laid out.
    Drake Bentley, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 20 June 2021
  • Via the touchscreen, the car can be parked even when there’s no driver at the wheel.
    David Beard, Car and Driver, 25 Dec. 2017
  • And when there are fans, having the crowd cheer for you, is just a dream come true.
    Tony Baranek, chicagotribune.com, 8 Apr. 2021
  • Age has taught me many things, among them when to ask for help.
    Jessica Battilana, San Francisco Chronicle, 10 Nov. 2021
  • The ribs are done when the meat is tender and slightly pulls away from the bone.
    Beth Segal, cleveland, 14 May 2021
  • This marks the first time since 1999 that OU won’t be ranked when playing Iowa State. ...
    Mark Heim | Mheim@al.com, al, 29 Oct. 2022
  • Even when programs have been able to stay open, many have had to scale down.
    Elliot Haspel, Washington Post, 30 June 2022
  • Way back when, the very first iPhone was a status symbol.
    David Pierce, WIRED, 3 Nov. 2017
  • This is the grandfather who gave me my name when I was born.
    Tejal Rao, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2020
  • The process starts the night before, when the restaurant is empty.
    Cesar Hernandez, San Francisco Chronicle, 25 July 2022
  • The footprints were formed when people strode over damp, sandy ground on the margin of a lake.
    New York Times, 23 Sep. 2021
  • Robin knew it when the offers came flying through the door.
    Cameron Teague Robinson, The Courier-Journal, 2 Mar. 2022
  • The Wolverines struck back when Har-Ber punted from its 15.
    Arkansas Online, 18 Oct. 2022
  • There will be times when the voice in your head tries to convince you to take the easy route and take shortcuts.
    Ross Franklin, Forbes, 23 Sep. 2021
  • Mother’s Day — when there’s little to no threat of frost.
    oregonlive, 28 Aug. 2020
  • Elon Musk left the world buzzing when his plans to buy Twitter was announced back in May 2022.
    Jasmine Browley, Essence, 18 Aug. 2022
  • Be the first to know when Jay Caspian Kang publishes a new piece.
    Jay Caspian Kang, The New Yorker, 16 Dec. 2022
  • Hunt couldn’t put any weight on his right leg when he was being helped over to the sideline.
    Tim Bielik, cleveland, 17 Oct. 2021
  • The weight of those thoughts is heaviest when her son leaves her to return to his dad.
    Amanda Ostuni, EW.com, 16 Mar. 2022
  • That’s when one of the woman’s friends started recording.
    Manori Ravindran, Variety, 1 July 2022
  • This is a quick turnabout from last month when the Army was prepared to do just that.
    Eric Tegler, Forbes, 25 July 2022
  • No one wins when shame and cold-heartedness are on the table.
    Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 July 2022

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'when.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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