lose time

Idioms  

1. Operate too slowly. For example, My watch loses time , or This clock loses five minutes a day . This usage is always applied to a timepiece. [Mid-1800s]

2. Waste time, delay, as in We wanted to paint the entire porch today, but we lost time trying to find a color that matched the house . This expression is sometimes put negatively as lose no time , meaning “act immediately” or “not delay,” as in We must lose no time in getting him to the hospital . [Late 1500s] Also see make up for lost time .

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Example Sentences

“I’m just afraid that we will lose time while the new team comes to understand what is happening.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 9, 2026

It’s one of those places where you just lose time.

From Salon • May 23, 2025

For McLaren, there will be questions about strategy, after they pitted Piastri early in the race when he was second behind Verstappen, albeit beginning to lose time.

From BBC • May 18, 2025

“You lose time on the fight against inflation if you wait,” said Michael Feroli, the chief U.S. economist at J.P.

From New York Times • Mar. 20, 2023

Papa ate quickly because he did not want to lose time from work.

From "The Circuit: Stories from the Life of a Migrant Child" by Francisco Jiménez