standard time
noun
: the time of a region or country that is established by law or general usage as civil time (see civil sense 5)
… the advent of the railway system and its demand for accurate timetables created the need for standard time and GMT became the legal standard time of Britain in 1880.—
John Sallnow
John Sallnow
specifically
: the mean time of a meridian that is a multiple of 15 arbitrarily applied to a local area or to one of the 24 time zones and designated as a number of hours earlier or later than Greenwich Mean Time
At a little after nine Central Standard Time on the night of Monday, April 13, 1970 there was, high in the western sky, a tiny flare of light that in some respects resembled a star exploding far away in our galaxy. —Henry S. F. Cooper, Jr.
Henry S. F. Cooper, Jr. Examples of standard time in a Sentence
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Only Hawaii and Arizona (most of it) observe standard time for the whole year, as do the U.S. territories, including Puerto Rico.
—Jorge L. Ortiz, USA Today, 19 July 2025
After failing in the 2023 legislative session, Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, has proposed a bill that would allow the state to remain in standard time all year as allowed by the Uniform Time Act of 1966.
—Alexis Simmerman, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
Only two states observe year-round standard time, an option afforded them by Congress’ 1966 Uniform Time Act.
—Addy Bink, The Hill, 6 Apr. 2025
Unlike daylight saving time, standard time follows the body’s natural circadian rhythm, which is primarily regulated by exposure to sunlight.
—Joanna Fong-Isariyawongse, The Conversation, 7 Mar. 2025
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Jorge L. Ortiz, USA Today, 19 July 2025
After failing in the 2023 legislative session, Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, has proposed a bill that would allow the state to remain in standard time all year as allowed by the Uniform Time Act of 1966.
—Alexis Simmerman, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
Only two states observe year-round standard time, an option afforded them by Congress’ 1966 Uniform Time Act.
—Addy Bink, The Hill, 6 Apr. 2025
Unlike daylight saving time, standard time follows the body’s natural circadian rhythm, which is primarily regulated by exposure to sunlight.
—Joanna Fong-Isariyawongse, The Conversation, 7 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for standard time
Cite this Entry
“Standard time.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/standard%20time. Accessed 25 Jul. 2025.
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