screen time

noun

1

: the amount of time someone or something appears on screen in a movie or television show

… the widespread practice of product placement (in which companies buy screen time for their brands) …

—Celia Wren

Peck's role is only a cameo—23 minutes of screen time scattered through six and a half hours of edited film …

—John Skow

2

: time spent watching television, playing a video game, or using an electronic device with a screen (such as a smartphone or tablet)

Concerns about children spending too much time on digital devices—'screen time'—and becoming overdependent on these devices are very real for many teachers and parents.

—Nicky Hockly

If yours is like most American families with kids under age 5, your child probably watches between three and four hours of television a day. That's a lot of screen time …

—Debra Kent

Examples of screen time in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Even in households that have never previously discussed screen time, forced limits on social platforms – if they’re enacted – may spark changes and conversations, according to experts. — Rachel Hale, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026

In April, the Los Angeles Unified School District banned the use of computers in the classroom until second grade, allowing for a slow expansion of screen time limits as a student gets older. — Linda Jacobson, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026

Don't serve a heavy meal before bed and avoid TV or screen time two hours before sleep. — ABC News, 25 Aug. 2026

The Mean Girls actor, 45, shared a sweaty clip on Instagram from a recent workout and hinted that his General Hospital character, Detective Joe Fitzpatrick, will get some shirtless screen time in the upcoming season. — Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 25 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1921, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for screen time

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