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
Arkansas Online, 9 May 2026
State law does not specify a time frame for appointment decisions, and there’s debate over whether the council must make any appointment at all or can leave the seat vacant until the next election.
—Nick Sullivan
may 8, Charlotte Observer, 8 May 2026
The state Democratic Party sued on Friday, seeking to prevent the districts from being used until after this year's elections because of the tight time frame.
—CBS News, 8 May 2026
These funds must be transferred into community control if not utilized within the appropriate time frame.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026
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 11 May. 2026.
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