by the time

idiom

: at the time : when
I had lived in 12 different cities by the time I turned 18.
By the time she showed up, I was finished eating.

Examples of by the 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.
As with any other product, your original idea may undergo some significant transformation by the time it’s released. Aytekin Tank, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2025 Per Morticia’s request, Fester went to check on her, but Ophelia had snuck out by the time he got committed. Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 6 Aug. 2025 This rule, Grimsley says, is designed to be adaptable, and be able to shift with the pace of technology—a recognition that when regulation and approvals take too long, the technology at issue risks becoming obsolete by the time it can be implemented. Jessica Mathews, Fortune, 6 Aug. 2025 Saturday night’s crowd was almost split between old school Pantera veterans and younger kids, many of whom probably weren’t born by the time the band called it a day in 2003. Jim Ryan, Forbes.com, 26 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for by the time

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“By the time.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/by%20the%20time. Accessed 22 Aug. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!