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Synonyms

prime time

American  

noun

Radio and Television.

  1. the hours, generally between 8 and 11 p.m., usually having the largest audience of the day.

prime time British  

noun

  1. the peak viewing time on television, for which advertising rates are the highest

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adjective

  1. occurring during or designed for prime time

    a primetime drama
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of prime time

First recorded in 1955–60

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.

Not only are Chinese cars “ready for prime time in America,” but “U.S. car shoppers really are missing out,” according to testers at the car-buying site Edmunds.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 7, 2026

A market dip is prime time for converting some assets in your regular individual retirement account to a Roth IRA.

From Barron's • Mar. 21, 2026

There was even a proposal in 2018 for him to helm “CBS Evening News” while keeping his nightly prime time program on CNN.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 5, 2026

But are multi-cancer blood tests ready for prime time?

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 2, 2026

A story no one would schedule for prime time.

From "Typical American" by Gish Jen

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

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.