real time

noun

: the actual time during which something takes place
the computer may partly analyze the data in real time (as it comes in)R. H. March
chatted online in real time
real-time adjective

Examples of real time in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The university’s Rare Book and Manuscript Library held an exhibition memorializing the protests; a social-media feed produced, in real time, the facts of the escalation, almost like a digital vigil. Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 17 May 2025 Fortnite and Disney teamed up to unveil an AI character that responds to a player's voice in real time. Mitch Picasso, FOXNews.com, 17 May 2025 An experimental new wearable device addresses that problem, using an electrical current to gauge milk intake in real time. Ben Coxworth, New Atlas, 17 May 2025 Nine months later, the Democratic Party is adrift, with early excerpts from the new book forcing public figures to confront their own complicity or candor in real time. Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for real time

Word History

First Known Use

1953, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of real time was in 1953

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Cite this Entry

“Real time.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/real%20time. Accessed 25 May. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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