timeline

noun

time·​line ˈtīm-ˌlīn 

variants or time line

plural timelines or time lines

1

a

: an arrangement or occurrence (as of past events) in time : chronology

After interviewing the suspect, the wardens pieced together a timeline of events and gathered enough evidence to file appropriate charges …

—Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

b

: a visual representation of events associated with a particular period of time arranged chronologically along a line or in a linear format

The book also includes a timeline, showing which dinosaurs lived when and where, and how the Earth has changed over millions of years.

—The Children's Bookwatch

In her "Foundations of Western Civilization" course … Prof. Julia Gossard has her students create a timeline of the history of food …

—Thomas Keith

c

: a schedule of planned events, actions, etc. : timetable sense 2

With just under a year left until your nuptials, here's what's next on your wedding planning timeline.

—Sarah Hanlon

Giving the client a say in every step of the project could create a delay and throw off the timeline …

—Katie Bates

2

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

And what's the timeline for implementing these changes?

—Mark Sovel

The stakes are high, and the timeline is tight.

—Rio Longacre

… school districts can't open before Labor Day and must end by June 15. But to meet that compressed timeline … , districts have had to consider trade-offs.

—Donna St. George

3

: a stream of social media posts : feed sense 3e

Algorithmic timelines quietly replaced chronological ones, until our social-media feeds no longer took direction from us, but rather directed us where they wanted us to go.

—Yair Rosenberg

And if there's something funny … I make sure to Retweet so others can cleanse their timeline and enjoy.

—Andy Richardson

4

: a branch of a theoretical multiverse that exists in parallel with other branches

… the notion that we're surrounded by a multitude of parallel selves, one of which might be living in a better timeline than the one we're stuck in.

—S. I. Rosenbaum

—used especially in science fiction

… Dune: Awakening is set in an "alternate" timeline from the original Frank Herbert novels, where something has happened to change the course of history.

—Wes Fenlon

Examples of timeline in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Harrison, after seeing different deadlines in the state constitution and law chose to follow the measure carrying the longer timeline, the justice said. —Arkansas Online, 3 Nov. 2025

As for what the next few months look like, Taylor’s doctors told him there is essentially no timeline. —Meredith Wilshere, PEOPLE, 2 Nov. 2025

The timeline for when China’s two sixth-generation fighters began secret testing prior to their sightings last year remains uncertain. —Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 2 Nov. 2025

This timeline is not considered canon. —Will Borger, Rolling Stone, 31 Oct. 2025

The timeline of the new push aligns with an unprecedented extension of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s mandate, who is now set to stay in office for an additional two years past his original 2028 exit date. —Tawanda Karombo, semafor.com, 31 Oct. 2025

What Happens Next The Pentagon is expected to outline a timeline for the resumption of nuclear testing in the coming weeks, while Iran has signaled plans to raise the issue at the United Nations. —Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025

Nearly every question on Meta’s earnings call focused on how the company views its AI investments translating into income, the timeline for new products and models coming out of its Superintelligence Lab and its general approach to AI. —Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 31 Oct. 2025

Restructure project economics and timelines. —François Candelon, Fortune, 31 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1907, in the meaning defined at sense 1