on time

Idioms  

1. Punctually, according to schedule, as in I hope the plane will be on time . [Early 1800s]

2. By paying in installments, on credit, as in They are buying their car on time . The time here refers to the designated period in which payments must be made. [Mid-1800s]

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Example Sentences

However, colonoscopies -- the primary screening method used today -- can be costly and uncomfortable, which discourages many people from getting tested on time.

From Science Daily • Apr. 9, 2026

Since the pandemic, far fewer companies have been responding on time, making it less likely that those that do accurately reflect what is happening in the whole economy.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

The company said it took claims that posties were hiding letters "very seriously", adding 92% of letters were delivered on time.

From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026

If you’re flying out of O’Hare, you stand a 1-in-3 chance of not leaving on time — or at all.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 6, 2026

Tearful, feverish, and scratching, she had to explain to her teacher why “Damp and Spooky: The Depiction of Grottos in Ominous Landscapes” would not be handed in on time.

From "The Interrupted Tale" by Maryrose Wood