timer

noun

tim·​er ˈtī-mər 

: one that times: such as

a

: timepiece

especially : a stopwatch for timing races

b

: timekeeper

c

: a device (such as a clock) that indicates by a sound the end of an interval of time or that starts or stops a device at predetermined times

Synonyms of timer

• clock

Examples of timer in a Sentence

He was the official timer for the race.

She set the timer on the oven for one hour.

The timer is set to go off in 15 minutes.

Recent Examples on the Web

Siegenthaler faked a shot from the high slot and slid a pass to Jack Hughes in the right circle, where his one timer deflected off Bratt. —CBS News, 27 Mar. 2026

Old timers can recall when clockwork storms pounded in the summer and drizzled in the winter. —Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 26 Mar. 2026

Avoid selfies when possible; photos taken by another person or a self-timer are preferred. —Vogue, 25 Mar. 2026

The meager stream shut off almost immediately, as if controlled by a timer. —Christine Smallwood, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1648, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing timer

• all-timer
• egg timer
• full-timer
• old-timer
• one-timer

Rhymes for timer

• climber
• dimer
• eimer
• primer
• rhymer
• alzheimer
• heterodimer

Kids Definition

timer

noun

tim·​er ˈtī-mər 

1

a

: timepiece

b

: timekeeper sense 2

2

: a clocklike device that turns something on or off at a set time or gives a signal at the end of a period of time