meantime

1 of 3

noun (1)

mean·​time ˈmēn-ˌtīm 

: the time before something happens or before a specified period ends

The new computers won't arrive until next week, but we can continue to use the old ones in the meantime.

meantime

2 of 3

adverb

: meanwhile entry 2

Meantime he had been attentive to his other interests …

—H. R. Warfel

mean time

3 of 3

noun (2)

: time that is based on the motion of the theoretical mean sun

To find local mean time, determine how many degrees of longitude you are from your time-zone standard. (Find your longitude on a map.) Multiply this number by four to get your correction in minutes. If you are east of the standard longitude your correction is a positive number; if you are west it is negative. Apply the correction to standard time to get your local mean time.

—Sky & Telescope

called also mean solar time

Did you know?

Meantime vs. Meanwhile

Meantime and meanwhile have both been used as nouns in prepositional phrases like "in the meantime/meanwhile" since their earliest use in the 1300s. Both have been used as adverbs, like in "meanwhile/meantime, down at the farm…," since the late 1500s. They've been interchangeable for pretty much all of their long histories. But that doesn't mean they don't each have their favorite territory.

Meantime is the one that's usually used as a noun—that is, as the object of the preposition in phrases like "in the meantime" and "for the meantime":

We're headed to the beach this afternoon. In the meantime, I'm going to the grocery store.

And meanwhile is the usual choice for the role of adverb:

The kids are excited about the beach. Meanwhile, someone has to think about dinner.

But you'll see and hear examples that are counter to these generalizations, like the following:

In the meanwhile, someone should find the beach towels.

The baby is napping. Meantime, the older kids are looking for beach toys.

"In the meanwhile" has been accused of being "unidiomatic" (i.e. of sounding weird), but it isn't so unidiomatic that native speakers instinctively avoid it. If you use it, there's no reason you should stop.

But if you want to use this pair in the ways they're most often used and need help remembering which goes where, you can think of this sentence:

In the time it takes to say "in the meantime," you could just as well say "meanwhile."

Examples of meantime in a Sentence

Adverb

He can come back to work when he's feeling better. Meantime, he should be resting as much as possible.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Despite years of effort, the NCAA is still chasing the necessary alignment in Congress to make that happen, and the lawsuits keep coming in the meantime. —Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2026

Could be worth something In meantime, Bristol Mayor Ellen Zoppo-Sassu said the city turned to an unlikely source to bolster its stockpile of pennies. —Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 18 Jan. 2026

Adverb

The Mulberry silk blend material, meantime, is soft and gentle against the skin, reducing fine lines caused by frequent rubbing or chaffing. —Tim Chan, Footwear News, 18 Feb. 2026

Canada, meantime, opened tentatively, and then ran into penalty problems minus its longtime leader, Marie-Philip Poulin. —John Wawrow, Hartford Courant, 10 Feb. 2026

Noun

For most people, the holidays mean time off from work and an opportunity to watch a sports game or three. —Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 4 Dec. 2025

State health officials will add flu data to its respiratory virus dashboard during the fall flu season, and in the mean time the agency recommends everyone over 6 months of age should stay up to date on COVID-19 vaccinations to protect against severe illness and current variants. —Brooke Baitinger, Sacbee.com, 12 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Adverb

circa 1593, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1751, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing meantime

• for the meantime
• in the meantime

Rhymes for meantime

• airtime
• bedtime
• daytime
• downtime
• enzyme
• halftime
• lifetime
• longtime
• lunchtime
• mealtime
• nighttime
• noontime

Kids Definition

meantime

1 of 2 noun

mean·​time ˈmēn-ˌtīm 

: the time between two events

meantime

2 of 2 adverb

: in the meantime