time warp

noun

: an anomaly, discontinuity, or suspension held to occur in the progress of time
time-warp adjective
or time-warped

Examples of time warp in a Sentence

Walking into the castle was like entering a time warp.
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.
January is typically a month of reflection, but this year’s throwbacks were more of a time warp for another era altogether: 2016. Talia Abbas, Vogue, 28 Feb. 2026 Finding them last fall in a ghost town in the Midwest felt like stepping into a time warp. Faith Karimi, CNN Money, 17 Feb. 2026 Let’s do the time warp again, only this time at Studio 54. Lars Brandle, Billboard, 29 Jan. 2026 The fact remains, just when shoppers have come to expect the convenience and UX of digital, they are left in a kind of time warp in stores. Dean Debiase, Forbes.com, 9 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for time warp

Word History

First Known Use

1937, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of time warp was in 1937

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Time warp.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/time%20warp. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster