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

Nolan singled out Samantha Morton (Minority Report, The Walking Dead), who plays the goddess Circe, despite her relatively brief screen time. — James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 7 July 2026

For ages 2 to 5, the AAP supports limiting screen time to one hour per day of high-quality, educational programming that ideally is watched along with a caregiver. — Elizabeth Dowdell, The Conversation, 6 July 2026

While spending time outdoors can help boost mood, support the body's production of vitamin D and reduce screen time, dermatologists warn that excessive sun exposure — especially as promoted by the tanmaxxing trend — can be dangerous. — Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 5 July 2026

In order to mitigate the effects of popcorn brain, Singh advises caregivers to establish healthy boundaries around screen time. — Stephanie Ganz, Parents, 4 July 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