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
To be fair, after the first hectic weeks of an exhibit’s opening, not many did, but enough to keep Rachel her job, especially since, by the time she was hired, all the others had quit.
—
Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
Arvell Reese figures to be long gone by the time the Panthers pick, and Sonny Styles also might be off the board.
—Joseph Person, New York Times, 28 Jan. 2026
Both skiers were hypothermic, and one was non-responsive and in critical condition by the time rescuers were able to locate them.
—Christa Swanson, CBS News, 28 Jan. 2026
And by the time leaders act, threats frequently become too large to reverse.
—Robert Pearl, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for by the time
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.
Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
Arvell Reese figures to be long gone by the time the Panthers pick, and Sonny Styles also might be off the board.
—Joseph Person, New York Times, 28 Jan. 2026
Both skiers were hypothermic, and one was non-responsive and in critical condition by the time rescuers were able to locate them.
—Christa Swanson, CBS News, 28 Jan. 2026
And by the time leaders act, threats frequently become too large to reverse.
—Robert Pearl, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 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 29 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
