meanwhile

American  

[meen-hwahyl, -wahyl] / ˈminˌʰwaɪl, -ˌwaɪl /

noun

1. meantime.

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adverb

1. in the intervening time; during the interval.

2. at the same time.

   Meanwhile, the others were back home enjoying themselves.

meanwhile British  

/ ˈmiːnˌwaɪl /

adverb

1. during the intervening time or period

2. at the same time, esp in another place

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noun

1. another word for meantime

Usage

What does meanwhile mean? Meanwhile means 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. It 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. Both of these senses of meanwhile are adverbs. As an adverb, meanwhile is often used at the beginning of a sentence to connect the statement that follows with something that was just mentioned. The word meantime can also be used as an adverb in the same ways that meanwhile is, but meanwhile is much more commonly as an adverb. Meanwhile can also be used as a noun meaning the period of time between two events, as in The power will come back on soon, so let’s just enjoy the quiet in the meanwhile. The word meantime is much more commonly used in this way. Example: Mix the batter; meanwhile, preheat the oven.

Etymology

Origin of meanwhile

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English; mean ³ + while

Compare meaning

How does meanwhile compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• meantime vs. meanwhile

Explanation

Use the adverb meanwhile to mean "at the same time." For example, you might have a great evening at the bowling alley, but meanwhile, your parents are home wondering why you never showed up for dinner. The word meanwhile is handy when you’re telling a story because sometimes it’s funny to realize what two things are happening at the same time. You might be frantically searching for your cat, meanwhile, he's lounging under your bed. Meanwhile can also refer to the time before something happens, as in "I have an interview in an hour, but meanwhile I'm going to take a nap." The word meanwhile is rooted in mean, with its meaning of "middle" or "intermediate."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

meanwhile

Washington, meanwhile, famously made relinquishing power part of his own legacy.

From Salon ● Aug. 16, 2026

The "capture" hypothesis meanwhile postulates that the moons are asteroids from the outer Solar System that were captured by Mars' gravity.

From Barron's ● Aug. 16, 2026

Flight attendant Cheryl DeFonce, meanwhile, wrote on Instagram that she and a colleague had been scheduled to work and fly to Kona on Saturday, but their flights in both directions were canceled.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2026

Team-mate Asher-Smith, meanwhile, achieved her seventh gold at the championships - 10 years after capturing her first.

From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026

Fflewddur, meanwhile, had begun drawing new maps with his dagger.

From "The Book of Three" by Lloyd Alexander