: 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.
: meanwhile entry 2
meantime he had been attentive to his other interests—
H. R. Warfel
H. R. Warfel
: 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
Sky & Telescopecalled also mean solar time
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 WebAndrea Navarro, Glamour, 6 Sep. 2023
One other way to cut costs If your school is no longer accepting appeals, there are other ways students can save some cash in the meantime, said Miranda McCall, Duke University’s Assistant Vice Provost and Director of Undergraduate Financial Support.
—Ellie Stevens, CNN, 26 Aug. 2023
The fit between San Diego and the Wave, meantime, rates as above average by NWSL standards.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 July 2023
But how much damage will Thomas and the other black-robed royals do in the meantime?
—Globe Columnist, BostonGlobe.com, 12 Aug. 2023
Summer danger:With summer at its hottest, here's what to know about the danger of kids left in cars
What can Americans do in the meantime?
—Medora Lee, USA TODAY, 8 Aug. 2023
Nearby Klamath County, Oregon, was handling 911 calls in the meantime.
—Aya Elamroussi, CNN, 26 July 2023
Adams told Beckloff that no outside lender will agree to those terms, and neither the city nor any of the existing investors in the trust’s properties, which include U.S. Bank and Wells Fargo among other prominent banks, have stepped up to provide cash in the meantime.
—Liam Dillon, Los Angeles Times, 14 June 2023
However, the lawsuit — the first hearing in which is scheduled for August 2, according to court filings — doesn't prevent a deal from closing in the meantime, the Associated Press reports.
—Irina Ivanova, CBS News, 12 June 2023
John Lonsdale, Rolling Stone, 22 Aug. 2023
Bernstein, meantime, was able to confirm key details through the day to keep OregonLive readers informed hour by hour, along with breaking news reporter Austin De Dios, who was at the hospital much of the day.
—oregonlive, 7 Aug. 2023
The Matildas, meantime, have appeared in the quarterfinals before, but this is their first time making it to the semifinals.
—Tim Chan, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Aug. 2023
John’s final North American show, meantime, took place last November at L.A.’s Dodger Stadium.
—Tim Chan, Variety, 19 July 2023
Shorea butter, meantime, is a type of seed butter that delivers intense hydration and nourishment without being as heavy as traditional shea butter.
—Tim Chan, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 July 2023
On Ukraine, meantime, the bill authorized another $300 million in security assistance.
—The Editors, National Review, 17 July 2023
The Fire Tablet screen, meantime, is reinforced with a scratch-resistant aluminosilicate glass.
—Tim Chan, Variety, 10 July 2023
Returning users, meantime, can claim the new $2 offer here; don’t forget to choose to continue on at $15 a month (or cancel before your week is up).
—Tim Chan, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 June 2023
Janakiram Msv, Forbes, 14 Feb. 2023
In the mean time, Younger will be busy creating even more handmade works to adorn yourself with.
—Christian Allaire, Vogue, 12 July 2023
Just because things change doesn’t mean time’s up.
—Annie Berke, Washington Post, 22 Nov. 2022
In the mean time, catch LaBelle nail her role.
—Jackie Fields, PEOPLE.com, 28 June 2021
In the mean time, build up your own online presence through a simple website and professional social media channels.
—Jamie Ballard, Woman's Day, 24 Feb. 2020
In the mean time, frustration is lingering.
—Nat Herz, Anchorage Daily News, 8 Feb. 2022
In the mean time, urban planners suggest applying lighter coating on roads and rooftops to reflect more heat away from cities and adding rooftop gardens to increase urban vegetation, which can help lower air temperature through a process known as evapotranspiration.
—The Week, 12 July 2021
Woburn parents, in the mean time, have been forced to cope with the school closures, many scrambling to come up with alternative child care arrangements.
—Deanna Pan, BostonGlobe.com, 3 Feb. 2023
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Noun
Get started with these 12 Amazon Prime Day perfume deals in the meantime.
—Andrea Navarro, Glamour, 6 Sep. 2023
One other way to cut costs If your school is no longer accepting appeals, there are other ways students can save some cash in the meantime, said Miranda McCall, Duke University’s Assistant Vice Provost and Director of Undergraduate Financial Support.
—Ellie Stevens, CNN, 26 Aug. 2023
The fit between San Diego and the Wave, meantime, rates as above average by NWSL standards.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 July 2023
But how much damage will Thomas and the other black-robed royals do in the meantime?
—Globe Columnist, BostonGlobe.com, 12 Aug. 2023
Summer danger:With summer at its hottest, here's what to know about the danger of kids left in cars
What can Americans do in the meantime?
—Medora Lee, USA TODAY, 8 Aug. 2023
Nearby Klamath County, Oregon, was handling 911 calls in the meantime.
—Aya Elamroussi, CNN, 26 July 2023
Adams told Beckloff that no outside lender will agree to those terms, and neither the city nor any of the existing investors in the trust’s properties, which include U.S. Bank and Wells Fargo among other prominent banks, have stepped up to provide cash in the meantime.
—Liam Dillon, Los Angeles Times, 14 June 2023
However, the lawsuit — the first hearing in which is scheduled for August 2, according to court filings — doesn't prevent a deal from closing in the meantime, the Associated Press reports.
—Irina Ivanova, CBS News, 12 June 2023
Adverb
The ad-free Disney+ Premium plan, meantime, costs $10.99/month.
—John Lonsdale, Rolling Stone, 22 Aug. 2023
Bernstein, meantime, was able to confirm key details through the day to keep OregonLive readers informed hour by hour, along with breaking news reporter Austin De Dios, who was at the hospital much of the day.
—oregonlive, 7 Aug. 2023
The Matildas, meantime, have appeared in the quarterfinals before, but this is their first time making it to the semifinals.
—Tim Chan, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Aug. 2023
John’s final North American show, meantime, took place last November at L.A.’s Dodger Stadium.
—Tim Chan, Variety, 19 July 2023
Shorea butter, meantime, is a type of seed butter that delivers intense hydration and nourishment without being as heavy as traditional shea butter.
—Tim Chan, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 July 2023
On Ukraine, meantime, the bill authorized another $300 million in security assistance.
—The Editors, National Review, 17 July 2023
The Fire Tablet screen, meantime, is reinforced with a scratch-resistant aluminosilicate glass.
—Tim Chan, Variety, 10 July 2023
Returning users, meantime, can claim the new $2 offer here; don’t forget to choose to continue on at $15 a month (or cancel before your week is up).
—Tim Chan, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 June 2023
Noun
The mean time between failures (MTBF) directly impacts the SLAs offered by the operations team.
—Janakiram Msv, Forbes, 14 Feb. 2023
In the mean time, Younger will be busy creating even more handmade works to adorn yourself with.
—Christian Allaire, Vogue, 12 July 2023
Just because things change doesn’t mean time’s up.
—Annie Berke, Washington Post, 22 Nov. 2022
In the mean time, catch LaBelle nail her role.
—Jackie Fields, PEOPLE.com, 28 June 2021
In the mean time, build up your own online presence through a simple website and professional social media channels.
—Jamie Ballard, Woman's Day, 24 Feb. 2020
In the mean time, frustration is lingering.
—Nat Herz, Anchorage Daily News, 8 Feb. 2022
In the mean time, urban planners suggest applying lighter coating on roads and rooftops to reflect more heat away from cities and adding rooftop gardens to increase urban vegetation, which can help lower air temperature through a process known as evapotranspiration.
—The Week, 12 July 2021
Woburn parents, in the mean time, have been forced to cope with the school closures, many scrambling to come up with alternative child care arrangements.
—Deanna Pan, BostonGlobe.com, 3 Feb. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'meantime.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Phrases Containing meantime
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Cite this Entry
“Meantime.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/meantime. Accessed 23 Sep. 2023.
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Kids Definition
meantime
1 of 2 noun
mean·time
ˈmēn-ˌtīm 
: the time between two events
meantime
2 of 2 adverb
: in the meantime
More from Merriam-Webster on meantime
Nglish: Translation of meantime for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of meantime for Arabic Speakers
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