time frame

noun

variants or less commonly timeframe

ˈtīm-ˌfrām 

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

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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

Lane closures could also occur between Floriston and Hinton Rad during the same time frame. —Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 6 June 2026

The 2025 Clutch Player of the Year scored 13 of his game-high 30 points in that time frame as New York took the win. —Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 4 June 2026

Those who were unemployed for shorter periods took a 9% cut over the same time frame. —Alex Harring, CNBC, 4 June 2026

Of the 13 international vice presidents who held office during the time frame of the charges in the case, Spellacy said, 90% of them traveled internationally. —Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 3 June 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