timeline

noun

time·​line ˈtīm-ˌlīn 

variants or time line

plural timelines or time lines

1

a

: an arrangement or occurrence (as of past events) in time : chronology

After interviewing the suspect, the wardens pieced together a timeline of events and gathered enough evidence to file appropriate charges …

—Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

b

: a visual representation of events associated with a particular period of time arranged chronologically along a line or in a linear format

The book also includes a timeline, showing which dinosaurs lived when and where, and how the Earth has changed over millions of years.

—The Children's Bookwatch

In her "Foundations of Western Civilization" course … Prof. Julia Gossard has her students create a timeline of the history of food …

—Thomas Keith

c

: a schedule of planned events, actions, etc. : timetable sense 2

With just under a year left until your nuptials, here's what's next on your wedding planning timeline.

—Sarah Hanlon

Giving the client a say in every step of the project could create a delay and throw off the timeline …

—Katie Bates

2

: a period of time especially with respect to some project or event : time frame

And what's the timeline for implementing these changes?

—Mark Sovel

The stakes are high, and the timeline is tight.

—Rio Longacre

… school districts can't open before Labor Day and must end by June 15. But to meet that compressed timeline … , districts have had to consider trade-offs.

—Donna St. George

3

: a stream of social media posts : feed sense 3e

Algorithmic timelines quietly replaced chronological ones, until our social-media feeds no longer took direction from us, but rather directed us where they wanted us to go.

—Yair Rosenberg

And if there's something funny … I make sure to Retweet so others can cleanse their timeline and enjoy.

—Andy Richardson

4

: a branch of a theoretical multiverse that exists in parallel with other branches

… the notion that we're surrounded by a multitude of parallel selves, one of which might be living in a better timeline than the one we're stuck in.

—S. I. Rosenbaum

—used especially in science fiction

… Dune: Awakening is set in an "alternate" timeline from the original Frank Herbert novels, where something has happened to change the course of history.

—Wes Fenlon

Examples of timeline in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Crabb did not give a firm timeline of when the first microreactor would go online but said Last Energy’s modular construction approach allows the company to deliver operational plants within 24 months with private financing. —Karoline Leonard, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025

Transparency about expectations, timelines and budget helps your marketing consultant tailor strategies that align with your vision. —Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 29 July 2025

While hair regrowth is possible with many forms of alopecia, the likelihood and timeline depend on factors like the specific alopecia type, individual health, and the treatments pursued. —Sarah Jividen, Verywell Health, 29 July 2025

His actual injury does not require surgery and has a four-to-six week recovery timeline. —Jon MacHota, New York Times, 29 July 2025

The series takes place within Earth-616 and is considered canonical to the sacred timeline, where most of the movies and live-action series have taken place. —Michileen Martin, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 July 2025

Stewart exited in the first quarter of Saturday’s loss with a leg injury and Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello declined to give a timeline for her return before Monday’s road matchup against the Dallas Wings. —Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 28 July 2025

Those savings also shortened the timeline for residents to see returns on their investments from electricity savings. —Emily L Mahoney, Sun Sentinel, 14 July 2025

Here is a timeline of Epstein and Trump’s relationship. —Rebecca Schneid, Time, 14 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1907, in the meaning defined at sense 1