timing

1 of 2

noun

tim·​ing ˈtī-miŋ 

1

a

: placement or occurrence in time

the timing of the sale couldn't have been better

b

: the ability to select the precise moment for doing something for optimum effect

a boxer with impeccable timing

2

: observation and recording (as by a stopwatch) of the elapsed time of an act, action, or process

timing

2 of 2

present participle of time entry 2

Examples of timing in a Sentence

Noun

The timing of the sale could not have been better.

Her timing was a little off and she missed the shot.

an athlete with impeccable timing

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

OpenAI finished the job less than a day later—timing that has led to a heated dispute between the latter two mathematicians and the company. — Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 21 Sep. 2026

Foster financial awareness Much of the stress around money is about timing, Mecham believes. — Jason Stauffer, CNBC, 21 Sep. 2026

Big-box retailers run their fall reporting through corporate procedures and can be strict about timing. — Matthew Kayser, Miami Herald, 21 Sep. 2026

Tuesday will likely be a First Alert Weather Day due to flood risk, but confidence in the timing of rain is low. — Ron Smiley, CBS News, 21 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1647, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing timing

• timing belt
• timing chain

Rhymes for timing

• chiming
• climbing
• liming
• priming
• rhyming

Kids Definition

timing

noun

tim·​ing

ˈtī-miŋ

1

: selection for best effect of the exact moment for beginning or doing something

2

: observation and recording (as by a stopwatch) of the time taken by something