behind the times

Idioms  

1. Not keeping up with current fashion, methods, or ideas, as in Your accounting methods are behind the times. Charles Dickens used this idiom in Dombey and Son (1848): “I'm old-fashioned, and behind the Time.” [Mid-1800s]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

behind the times

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

Cricket may be behind the times with innovation and how involved coaches are with on-field decisions, says England wicketkeeper Jos Buttler.

From BBC ● Feb. 10, 2026

Others criticized the institution he led for being far behind the times in general.

From Salon ● Apr. 21, 2025

Springfield: At the time, Australia was kind of behind the times, so at the show, when the Beatles came on it was like they were from Mars.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 12, 2024

I really hate it when a teacher has to show that she isn’t behind the times by using some expression which sounds so up-to-date you know for sure she’s behind the times.

From "The Pigman" by Paul Zindel