screen time

American  

[skreen tahym] / ˈskrin ˈtaɪm /

Or screentime

noun

1. the amount of time devoted to a particular actor, topic, plot line, etc., in a film or TV show.

   The female characters got less screen time than the male characters in all the film festival nominations.

2. Digital Technology. the amount of time a person spends watching or interacting with content on the screen of a computer, phone, TV, gaming console, etc..

   What's the maximum amount of screen time recommended for children under two?

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Etymology

Origin of screen time

First recorded in 1915–20, and in 1990–95 screen time for def. 2

Example Sentences

In the book, you describe screen time as the “ultra-processed food” of the arts.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026

Artificial intelligence has supercharged the platforms to maximize screen time further, harming users even more.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

Tech companies have been responding to mental health concerns, rolling out new parental controls so parents can keep track of their children’s screen time and moderating harmful content.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 28, 2026

"It's all about balance. We know that too much sedentary screen time can have a negative effect on children's development," speech and language therapist Janet Cooper previously told the BBC's Tiny Happy People website.

From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026

Her observation came at a time when media use in general was exploding among children, up to an average of around ten hours a day of screen time, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel