meantime
Americannoun
adverb
noun
adverb
Usage
What does meantime mean? Meantime means the period of time between two events—between the current time and the time when something else happens. This sense of the word is especially used in the phrase in the meantime, as in The power will come back on soon, so let’s just enjoy the quiet in the meantime. The word meanwhile can also be used as a noun to mean the same thing as meantime, but this is much less common. Meanwhile is much more commonly used as an adverb meaning in or during the time between the current time and the time when something else happens, as in Our guests will arrive in about an hour—meanwhile, let’s get the food ready. Meanwhile can also mean at the same time, as in When I got to my apartment, I realized I had forgotten my key—meanwhile, everyone was already hiding inside for my surprise party. Meantime can also be used as an adverb in both of these ways, but it is much more commonly used as a noun. Example: Our guests won’t arrive for another several hours, so I’m going to take a nap in the meantime.
Etymology
Origin of meantime
Middle English word dating back to 1300–50; see origin at mean 3, time
Compare meaning
How does meantime compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
The meantime is the time between two events. You might be waiting for the second half of a soccer game to begin, and in the meantime call your best friend to tell her the score. You'll most often see the word meantime in the phrase "in the meantime," and it can be used in a similar way to meanwhile. You could say, "I have to go to the store soon. In the meantime, I'm playing with the dog." This word has been around since the fourteenth century, although it was originally two separate words, mean time. Its root is the word mean, which means "middle or intermediate."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Meantime, as Mr. Mamdani builds his socialist grocery chain, the city faces huge budget shortfalls.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 19, 2026
Meantime, Indiana is trying to bait the Bears to lumber over the state border and set up a den in the city of Hammond.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026
Meantime the other guys were trying to ignore the shouting.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 24, 2026
Meantime, a federal audit last week revealed how Medicaid autism treatment has become an open vault for fraud and abuse.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 8, 2026
Meantime the moon declined: she was about to set.
From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë
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.
