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 Trend of the Year Apps are a reflection of culture, and in 2023, generative AI captured users’ collective imagination with its evolution unfolding in real time. David Phelan, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2023 Carroll's organization fights this by providing educators with resources to give students the social tools to identify and dismantle those tropes and misconceptions in real time. Kiara Alfonseca, ABC News, 29 Nov. 2023 In real time, people will spend a few hours absorbed in the Musée des Arts Décoratifs exhibition dedicated to the peerless Dutch designer who has developed singular pathways between haute couture craftsmanship and the fields of science, nature, technology, architecture, art, and dance. Amy Verner, Vogue, 29 Nov. 2023 On Amazon Connect, Q is deployed in real time and essentially listens in on a customer call to get information like account details. Emilia David, The Verge, 28 Nov. 2023 The flash sale will start at 9 a.m. PST, you'll be given a spot in line, and be able to track your progress in real time. Madison Flager, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Nov. 2023 Ali will be pioneering a new skill set on the growing Fast Break Desk, delivering high-quality perspectives off the news in real time. Los Angeles Times, 27 Nov. 2023 The other is to create an office, one with genuine power, to enforce the rules (ideally in real time), to issue punishments and to protect the interests of the league. Rory Smith, New York Times, 24 Nov. 2023 Paired with the partial sensitivity of the blue-band sensor layer to near-UV light, the perovskite fluorescence enables the sensor to resolve exact wavelengths of UV light—as small as 250 nm—in real time and at any point on its surface. IEEE Spectrum, 24 Nov. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'real time.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1953, in the meaning defined above

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

Dictionary Entries Near real time

Cite this Entry

“Real time.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/real%20time. Accessed 6 Dec. 2023.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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