as in readiness
the quality or habit of arriving or being ready on time
our boss is a real stickler for punctuality—he expects everyone to be at their desk by nine o'clock
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Recent Examples of punctuality
Myers takes the idea to its extreme, even in punctuality.
—
Jayson Jenks, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2026
But that move has always struck me as a little goofy in an introduction, like the teacher who delivers her lecture on punctuality to a bunch of empty seats.
—Literary Hub, 10 Feb. 2026
However, that is not actually where the rules of punctuality end.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 7 Feb. 2026
Securing a job in the service industry, as a lifeguard or coach for younger children—essentially any position that requires punctuality, customer service, and the ability to handle pressure—can teach essential skills for preparing for college.
—Sarah Hernholm, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026
More than 10 billion passengers have traveled on Japan’s Shinkansen since 1964, and the network’s drama-free punctuality has become a quiet part of daily life for millions.
—Ben Jones, CNN Money, 26 Jan. 2026
Petro, who is not known for his punctuality, arrived an hour and a half late.
—Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 15 Jan. 2026
New global punctuality rankings from aviation analytics firm Cirium show just how dire delays were in 2025.
—Jacqueline Munis, Fortune, 7 Jan. 2026
Budget airline IndiGo, which commands 65% of the domestic market and is typically known for punctuality, canceled thousands of flights over the last several days due to a pilot shortage stemming from new rules that limit pilots’ work hours.
—semafor.com, 8 Dec. 2025
Jayson Jenks, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2026
But that move has always struck me as a little goofy in an introduction, like the teacher who delivers her lecture on punctuality to a bunch of empty seats.
—Literary Hub, 10 Feb. 2026
However, that is not actually where the rules of punctuality end.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 7 Feb. 2026
Securing a job in the service industry, as a lifeguard or coach for younger children—essentially any position that requires punctuality, customer service, and the ability to handle pressure—can teach essential skills for preparing for college.
—Sarah Hernholm, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026
More than 10 billion passengers have traveled on Japan’s Shinkansen since 1964, and the network’s drama-free punctuality has become a quiet part of daily life for millions.
—Ben Jones, CNN Money, 26 Jan. 2026
Petro, who is not known for his punctuality, arrived an hour and a half late.
—Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 15 Jan. 2026
New global punctuality rankings from aviation analytics firm Cirium show just how dire delays were in 2025.
—Jacqueline Munis, Fortune, 7 Jan. 2026
Budget airline IndiGo, which commands 65% of the domestic market and is typically known for punctuality, canceled thousands of flights over the last several days due to a pilot shortage stemming from new rules that limit pilots’ work hours.
—semafor.com, 8 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for punctuality
Noun
-
Unable to ramp up through the first month of spring training because of lingering shoulder soreness, Dodgers left-hander Blake Snell took a step toward readiness Thursday, throwing his first bullpen session.—
Jack Vita,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 2026
-
The decision Thursday came after an in-depth flight readiness review, where managers met to discuss the mission.—
Brendan Byrne,
NPR,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Observational research spanning seven different cultures shows that maternal responsiveness, especially the promptness of it, is a universal feature of caregiving.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
29 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
This willingness to continue buying on dips has kept the market sell-off in check.—
Fred Imbert,
CNBC,
13 Mar. 2026
-
His willingness to indulge in their presence gives them an inch of freedom that is easily turned into a mile of familiarity.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Costarring Jamie Lee Curtis, Bobby Cannavale, Simon Baker, and Ariana DeBose, the story exists on two timeliness.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
Entertainment Weekly,
13 Mar. 2026
-
And after a report released last week showed a rise in the unemployment rate and a loss of jobs, and with another inflation reading set for release this week, many may be wondering about the timeliness of a prospective gold investment now.—
Matt Richardson,
CBS News,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Punctuality.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punctuality. Accessed 18 Mar. 2026.
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