in the nick of time

idiom

informal

: just before the last moment when something can be changed or something bad will happen

He decided to go just in the nick of time.

The ambulance arrived in the nick of time.

Examples of in the nick of time in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The scene was indeed a fake-out, with Steve’s romantic rival, Jonathan (Charlie Heaton), and his stealth deltoids catching Steve in the nick of time, teeing up the group’s final victory. —Devon Ivie, Vulture, 16 Jan. 2026

Then, Cillian Murphy arrived in the green room in the nick of time! —Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 15 Jan. 2026

The Fall 2025 edition of the Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond Decanter Series has finally arrived, and just in the nick of time considering that winter is only about a week away. —Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 15 Dec. 2025

Thank goodness then that the rest of the original Horsemen also all got their own tarot card invites, and arrive just in the nick of time to save Danny and the baby magicians. —Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 11 Nov. 2025

Rhymes for in the nick of time

• aforetime
• allozyme
• anytime
• christmastime
• cybercrime
• dinnertime
• guggenheim
• isozyme
• lysozyme
• maritime
• mesenchyme
• overtime