timeless

adjective time·less \ ˈtīm-ləs \

Updated on: 18 Apr 2018

Definition of timeless

1 a : not restricted to a particular time or date

the timeless themes of love, solitude, joy, and nature
—Writer

b : having no beginning or end : eternal

2 : not affected by time : ageless

3 archaic : premature, untimely

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timelessly

adverb

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timelessness

noun

See timeless defined for English-language learners

See timeless defined for kids

timeless was our Word of the Day on 09/24/2015. Hear the podcast!

Examples of timeless in a Sentence

The dresses that she designs are elegant and timeless.
the timeless beauty of the sea

Recent Examples of timeless from the Web

Stroll down memory lane with these timeless classics.

— Fox News, "Gutfeld: The caravan hit a wall that is Donald Trump," 7 Apr. 2018
Submissions should be unique, timeless and symbolic of the Stafford community.

— Courant Community, "Community News For The Stafford Edition," 27 Mar. 2018
That’s a huge range but, of course, a focus on the human image is timeless, however presented by one of the 47 artists with works in the show, whether traditional or manipulated photo, or in video.

— leah garchik, San Francisco Chronicle, "At SFMOMA, the self is reflected in the collector’s impulse," 26 Mar. 2018
Producers also feared that the song, based on a then-current dance craze, would date the film, which went on to become a timeless classic.

— christopher arnott, courant.com, "Hartt Grads Come Home For 'Wizard Of Oz' Tour At The Bushnell," 21 Mar. 2018
The original is a masterclass of modern design meeting luxurious materials, yielding a watch that's truly timeless.

— GQ, "Where To Buy Everything in the March Issue of GQ," 13 Mar. 2018
Buy it now on Amazon.com, starting at $464 —S.M. Nintendo Switch Nintendo has always had a knack for being both cheeky and innovative—a risky strategy that's seen a number of flops alongside timeless gaming classics.

— cnt editors, Condé Nast Traveler, "The Best Tech Gifts for Travelers," 9 Mar. 2018
Spend the rest of the afternoon scrapbooking the day’s adventures in Kolo’s timeless and beautiful scrapbook, which is refillable and available in several colors.

— alejandra bennett, Sunset, "10 Memorable Gifts for the Nostalgic Mom," 22 Jan. 2018
Bratton confirms what children of the '60s long suspected: Doris Day used special camera filters to maintain her timeless beauty.

— julie hinds, Detroit Free Press, "The enigmatic awesomeness of Creed Bratton from 'The Office,' who's performing in Detroit," 23 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'timeless.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

Time is money. "Time is the great physician." "Time is a dressmaker specializing in alterations." Everyone seems to know what time is, but what does it mean to be "timeless"—that is, "without time"? Until around the turn of the 20th century, timeless was sometimes used to mean "untimely" or "premature," as in "he met his timeless end." That usage, which dates back to the late 16th century, is now considered archaic, but an equally venerable sense, "eternal" or "having no beginning or end," has proven more enduring. The two remaining senses are somewhat newer. The "not restricted to a particular time or date" meaning dates to the mid-18th century, while the most modern meaning—"ageless"—didn't exist until just before the turn of the 20th century. (By the way, the quotations we started with came from Benjamin Franklin, British statesman Benjamin Disraeli, and American writer Faith Baldwin, respectively.)