timeless

adjective time·less \ ˈtīm-ləs \

|Updated on: 12 Jun 2018

Examples: timeless in a Sentence

Editor's Note: Did You Know?

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

INTEREST Little Women, Louisa May Alcott’s timeless coming-of-age story about four sisters growing up in Civil War New England, is . . .

— rebecca keegan, HWD, "Black Panther," 11 May 2018
With his interest in the outdoors, the Great Lakes and historical maps, the offerings are fresh, industrial and timeless.

— allison carey, cleveland.com, "Six Cleveland Flea vendors who create new, handmade home decor (photos)," 7 May 2018
There’s also the classic and timeless intoxication of power.

— anna fifield, Washington Post, "Will Thailand’s general-prime minister make good on his latest promise to hold elections?," 15 Apr. 2018
Directed by UW-Waukesha student Margot Lange and produced by Associate Professor of Theatre and Communications Steve Decker, the timeless love story opens Friday, March 30, at UW-Waukesha.

— bob dohr, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "UW-Waukesha's spring production of "Eurydice" to open March 30," 26 Mar. 2018
Each was a fan of the Kentuckian's sophisticated, classic and timeless style.

— kirby adams, The Courier-Journal, "The modern fashion industry owes much of its thanks to The Kentucky Countess," 19 Feb. 2018
Writer Heidi Thomas and director Vanessa Caswill tell the timeless story with skill, affection and fresh directness.

— hal boedeker, OrlandoSentinel.com, "'Little Women': PBS honors a classic," 10 May 2018
The interactions between Vince McMahon and Steve Austin remain timeless.

— justin barrasso, SI.com, "Top 10 Takeaways From WWE’s Raw 25," 23 Jan. 2018
The words themselves are dipped in gold, and each has its glittering place in a hierarchy of symbolic dress and timeless imagery.

— laura jacobs, WSJ, "‘Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination’ Review: A Gift From the Sartorial Gods," 10 May 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.)