1
2
: being for or of all time up to and including the present
especially : exceeding all others of all time
an all-time bestseller

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web And that really is first and foremost the reason David vs. Goliath became an all-time great. Dalton Ross, EW.com, 18 May 2023 Uncomfortable at times, James improved under Spoelstra, became a more efficient player and had a couple of his all-time best seasons with Miami. Jeff Zillgitt, USA TODAY, 17 May 2023 On May 6, Luang Prabang in Laos made it to 110.3 degrees, beating out its 108.9-degree all-time record set just last month. Matthew Cappucci, Anchorage Daily News, 17 May 2023 He’s currently tied for first on the NHL’s list of active all-time leading playoff scorers. Sportsday Staff, Dallas News, 17 May 2023 Alabama is 2-7-1 against Texas all-time, with the Longhorns’ last win coming in the 1982 Cotton Bowl. Nick Alvarez | Nalvarez@al.com, al, 16 May 2023 Still, with a career average of 23.4 points and 5.7 assists per game, eight All-Star selections, three All-NBA teams and a 2016 championship, Irving is one of the all-time greats. Andrew Birkle, Detroit Free Press, 16 May 2023 Allen, who finished as the state’s all-time leader in passing touchdowns with 149 for his four-year career, closed out his high school career on the turf at Lucas Oil Stadium with 398 passing yards and five touchdowns in a 45-35 win over Brebeuf Jesuit in the Class 3A state finals. Matthew Glenesk, The Indianapolis Star, 16 May 2023 Brian Wacker: The Ravens are 35-13 all-time against the Browns, but Cleveland has won six of the past 10, including the past two in Cleveland. Brian Wacker, Baltimore Sun, 15 May 2023 See More

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

Word History

First Known Use

1910, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of all-time was in 1910

Dictionary Entries Near all-time

Cite this Entry

“All-time.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/all-time. Accessed 7 Jun. 2023.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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