make up for lost time

Idioms  

1. Also, make up ground. Hurry to compensate for wasted time, as in They married late but hoped to make up for lost time, or We're behind in the schedule, and we'll just have to make up ground as best we can. The first term was first recorded in 1774; the variant dates from the late 1800s.

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Example Sentences

He transferred to Cathedral last May, and coach Martin Farfan aggressively trained him to make up for lost time.

From Los Angeles Times • May 27, 2026

And that doesn’t mean throwing all your extra cash into risky investments to make up for lost time.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 7, 2026

In 2024, China removed the tariffs and Penfolds tried to make up for lost time, shipping large quantities of red wine to the country.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 24, 2026

Whether the script is an attempt to make up for lost time or a last-ditch effort at staging a career resurgence, Nora isn’t interested.

From Salon • Nov. 23, 2025

I basically run all the way to Eddie’s house to make up for lost time, the investigator’s business card tucked safely in my pocket.

From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy