behind the times
IdiomsExample Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
When he returned to the U.S. after eight years abroad, he remarked, “Europeans are 20 years behind the times, but working damned hard three days a week to catch up.”
From The Wall Street Journal • May 6, 2026
"You'd think it's something small but a lot of clubs are still behind the times with that. It's about breaking those barriers and making sure spaces are available for mums," she added.
From BBC • Jan. 11, 2026
The tenor of such softball japes can make “Shifting Gears” feel behind the times.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 8, 2025
Now, if a league or network isn’t doing something to appeal to younger fans, they are behind the times.
From Seattle Times • Feb. 10, 2024
He’d always copied El Patron, who was, of course, one hundred years behind the times.
From "The House of the Scorpion" by Nancy Farmer
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
