as in readiness
the quality or habit of arriving or being ready on time
our boss is a real stickler for punctuality—he expects everyone to be at their desk by nine o'clock
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Recent Examples of punctuality
Myers takes the idea to its extreme, even in punctuality.
—
Jayson Jenks, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2026
But that move has always struck me as a little goofy in an introduction, like the teacher who delivers her lecture on punctuality to a bunch of empty seats.
—Literary Hub, 10 Feb. 2026
However, that is not actually where the rules of punctuality end.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 7 Feb. 2026
Securing a job in the service industry, as a lifeguard or coach for younger children—essentially any position that requires punctuality, customer service, and the ability to handle pressure—can teach essential skills for preparing for college.
—Sarah Hernholm, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026
More than 10 billion passengers have traveled on Japan’s Shinkansen since 1964, and the network’s drama-free punctuality has become a quiet part of daily life for millions.
—Ben Jones, CNN Money, 26 Jan. 2026
Petro, who is not known for his punctuality, arrived an hour and a half late.
—Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 15 Jan. 2026
New global punctuality rankings from aviation analytics firm Cirium show just how dire delays were in 2025.
—Jacqueline Munis, Fortune, 7 Jan. 2026
Budget airline IndiGo, which commands 65% of the domestic market and is typically known for punctuality, canceled thousands of flights over the last several days due to a pilot shortage stemming from new rules that limit pilots’ work hours.
—semafor.com, 8 Dec. 2025
Jayson Jenks, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2026
But that move has always struck me as a little goofy in an introduction, like the teacher who delivers her lecture on punctuality to a bunch of empty seats.
—Literary Hub, 10 Feb. 2026
However, that is not actually where the rules of punctuality end.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 7 Feb. 2026
Securing a job in the service industry, as a lifeguard or coach for younger children—essentially any position that requires punctuality, customer service, and the ability to handle pressure—can teach essential skills for preparing for college.
—Sarah Hernholm, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026
More than 10 billion passengers have traveled on Japan’s Shinkansen since 1964, and the network’s drama-free punctuality has become a quiet part of daily life for millions.
—Ben Jones, CNN Money, 26 Jan. 2026
Petro, who is not known for his punctuality, arrived an hour and a half late.
—Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 15 Jan. 2026
New global punctuality rankings from aviation analytics firm Cirium show just how dire delays were in 2025.
—Jacqueline Munis, Fortune, 7 Jan. 2026
Budget airline IndiGo, which commands 65% of the domestic market and is typically known for punctuality, canceled thousands of flights over the last several days due to a pilot shortage stemming from new rules that limit pilots’ work hours.
—semafor.com, 8 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for punctuality
Noun
-
The key characteristics identified in the new accountability system include academic mastery, career and postsecondary readiness, communication and collaboration, work ethic, and civic, financial and digital literacy.—
Carole Carlson,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Mar. 2026
-
The incident took place at a Senate Armed Services subcommittee hearing that featured testimony from senior military officials on military readiness.—
Alan He,
CBS News,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Observational research spanning seven different cultures shows that maternal responsiveness, especially the promptness of it, is a universal feature of caregiving.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
29 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
San Diego inventory remains tight, so any increase in demand has an impact on prices, but not enough to materially change buyer behavior, seller willingness to list or overall market velocity.—
Phillip Molnar,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
6 Mar. 2026
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In a statement on Wednesday, Germany’s Minister of Culture said the decision to keep Tuttle on had been accompanied by her willingness to consider certain recommendations, which include the creation of an advisory council and a code of conduct, but there has been confusion around what this means.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Certain information has been provided by and/or is based on third party sources and, although such information is believed to be reliable, no representation is made with respect to the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of such information.—
Katie Stockton,
CNBC,
2 Mar. 2026
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Dan Halden, director of external relations for the Bureau of Street Services, said in a statement that the agency acknowledges the challenges ahead, including resources, cost and timeliness, and would work to identify a path forward.—
Melissa Gomez,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Punctuality.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punctuality. Accessed 7 Mar. 2026.
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