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
Lily is in charge of these (Friends of Pacific Beach Secondary Schools) funds and her communication and punctuality are always professional and punctual.
—
Cyril A. Reinicke, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026
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
Cyril A. Reinicke, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for punctuality
Noun
-
Russian telegram channel Astra — labeled a foreign agent by authorities — injected a note of skepticism, pointing out that Putin has spoken about the nuclear-capable missile’s imminent readiness at least 10 times since 2021.—
Zahra Ullah,
CNN Money,
13 May 2026
-
Coordinating it all is the National Emerging Special Pathogens Training and Education Center (NETEC), which sets the clinical standards, runs the training, and keeps the network in a constant state of readiness.—
Craig Spencer,
STAT,
13 May 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
-
While the Tribune’s coverage was certainly powerful, we are reminded how those words also describe Chicagoans’ willingness to stand up to the many abuses inflicted on the city by this administration.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
9 May 2026
-
Despite the Republican pushback, the top Republican in the Missouri House signaled a willingness to discuss changes to the law.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
Showrunner, writer and executive producer Jonathan Glatzer, executive producer Gina Mingacci and actors Billy Magnussen and Simon Helberg opened up about the timeliness of the drama.—
Emily Longeretta,
Variety,
11 May 2026
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Amid skyrocketing tourist numbers—Japan welcomes more than 40 million visitors a year—a lack of timeliness and no-shows have become a major cause of friction between tourists and Japanese in the hospitality industry.—
Jessica Kozuka,
Travel + Leisure,
6 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Punctuality.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punctuality. Accessed 15 May. 2026.
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