time frame
noun
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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
Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 7 Oct. 2025
Others sympathized with the friend and the tight time frame.
—Lex Goldstein, PEOPLE, 4 Oct. 2025
Within that time frame, NYCFC went 132-86-75 in MLS play, averaging 54 points per 34-game season with an average Eastern Conference finish of fourth place.
—Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 30 Sep. 2025
The preliminary design will include a rough time frame and cost estimate for construction that planners will review before proceeding to the next stage of the project, according to officials at the San Diego Regional Planning Agency.
—Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for time frame
Cite this Entry
“Time frame.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/time%20frame. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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