time frame

noun

variants or less commonly timeframe

ˈtīm-ˌfrām 

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

Did you know?

time frame or timeframe?

Should time frame be written as one word or two? At present, it is most commonly styled as two words with no hyphen in between.

Compounds, or “words consisting of components that are words,” come in three varieties: open (two words with a space between them, such as lima bean), hyphenated (two words with a hyphen between them, such as runner-up), and closed (one word, such as rowboat). In some cases, competing compound stylings appear in different publications. This is generally acceptable as long as the spelling remains consistent throughout a book or periodical.

Compounds have a tendency to move from open to closed as time goes by, and our evidence suggests that time frame is headed in this direction. At this point, however, the open compound is far more prevalent.

Examples of time frame in a Sentence

They were not able to finish the project within the established time frame.

Recent Examples on the Web

The team won three NFL championships and five Western Division titles during that time frame. —Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 11 Apr. 2026

Even after his impressive pro day, will NFL GMs have enough confidence in his health and time frame to spend a top-20 pick on him? —Nick Baumgardner, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2026

Orchards will be developed in phases over a 20-year time frame. —George Avalos, Mercury News, 8 Apr. 2026

Autotrader saw inquiries for new EVs jump by 28 percent and used EVs by 15 percent during the first month of the war, while Octopus Electric Vehicles had seen EV leasing inquiries rise by 36 percent over a similar time frame. —Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 7 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1893, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for time frame

• aspartame
• counterclaim
• overcame
• underframe
• username
• acclaim
• aflame
• airframe
• ballgame
• became
• declaim
• defame