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

Despite those efforts to calm the waters, a fairly broad consensus has formed that Aikman is a short-timer at ESPN. — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 18 Oct. 2026

Use dimmers, timers, and motion sensors to automatically control lighting in and around your home. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 17 Oct. 2026

Exhibitors rose 17% to 339 companies, 49 of them first-timers, and Czech & Slovak and Cambodian pavilions made their debuts. — Ophélie Surcouf, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026

The seven-day timer ran out on tuna in the flip-top cooler the day before the inspection. — David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 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