every minute counts

Idioms

Also, every moment counts. Time is of the essence. For example, Hurry up with those tools—every minute counts, or In performing surgery every moment counts. This idiom uses count in the sense of “to enter into the reckoning” (and hence be important).

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.

Police are provided with personal information in advance, which saves valuable time when every minute counts.

From BBC • Sep. 21, 2022

He said: "Every day and every minute counts."

From Salon • Jun. 22, 2020

And that’s a big deal, because even with next season still months away every minute counts.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 21, 2019

Lives, homes and businesses can be lost in a matter of minutes, so every minute counts when it comes to fighting fires.

From Washington Times • Sep. 20, 2016

It’s kind of adorable how every minute counts for him.

From "What If It's Us" by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023