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
An appeals court had not ruled on Saab's appeal by the time the prisoner swap went through.
—
Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 5 Feb. 2026
With how slow the acquisition process has been, the likelihood of Sporting signing five, let alone seven, by the time the season starts feels low.
—Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 4 Feb. 2026
Meanwhile, the officer who had called for assistance had succeeded in gaining control of the prisoner by the time his colleagues arrived at his side.
—Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 4 Feb. 2026
Many are already adopted by the time the show airs, however, thanks to their cuteness level.
—Chris Sims, IndyStar, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for by the time
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Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 5 Feb. 2026
With how slow the acquisition process has been, the likelihood of Sporting signing five, let alone seven, by the time the season starts feels low.
—Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 4 Feb. 2026
Meanwhile, the officer who had called for assistance had succeeded in gaining control of the prisoner by the time his colleagues arrived at his side.
—Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 4 Feb. 2026
Many are already adopted by the time the show airs, however, thanks to their cuteness level.
—Chris Sims, IndyStar, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for by the time
Cite this Entry
“By the time.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/by%20the%20time. Accessed 8 Feb. 2026.
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