timing

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

Examples of timing in a Sentence

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

Amid the calls to cool down the overheated political rhetoric during this campaign season, within hours of the scary incident, Vance appeared to amp it up further with comments blaming President Biden’s campaign that drew bipartisan criticism for their timing and tenor. —Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 16 July 2024

According to experts quoted in a Reuters article today, the company’s timing was very good—it was launched in early 2020, just as the COVID-19 pandemic hit, necessitating more reliance on the cloud than ever before. —David Meyer, Fortune, 16 July 2024

So the timing is right to launch azcentral.com's Best Arizona Road Trip Bracket. —Michael Salerno, The Arizona Republic, 16 July 2024

Cannon had been mulling Trump’s demands to dismiss the case for months, raising eyebrows about the timing of her decision. —Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 15 July 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1659, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing timing

• timing belt
• timing chain

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