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

Change the timeline, refine the checklist, and let structure carry the inspiration forward. —Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 May 2026

Unexpected expenses, income changes or higher living costs may require you to adjust your budget or repayment timeline. —Rebecca Safier, USA Today, 14 May 2026

As for rate reform, the child-care industry is looking to Assembly Bill 1981 to lock in a timeline that would allow providers to be reimbursed for their services to better reflect the actual cost of running a child-care home or center. —Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026

This reduction in mechanical complexity allows the system to be manufactured and assembled using standard US factory infrastructure and existing supply chains, which is intended to decrease both costs and deployment timelines. —Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 14 May 2026

Mendoza didn’t provide a timeline on when his star will begin baseball activities. —Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 14 May 2026

Much of the testimony has centered on OpenAI’s early years after its 2015 founding, but there’s a relatively short timeline to allege the claims Musk is making of breach of charitable trust and unjust enrichment. —ABC News, 14 May 2026

At the same time, development often occurs across jurisdictional lines, requiring coordination with cities, utility districts, and regional agencies that may not be aligned on timelines or standards. —Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 May 2026

The timeline for finalizing software, manufacturer agreements and other contracts necessary for Android devices typically takes about 18 months, according to Max Weinbach, an analyst for tech research firm Creative Strategies. —Jordan Valinsky, CNN Money, 14 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1907, in the meaning defined at sense 1b