sometime

[suhm-tahym]

adverb

1. at some indefinite or indeterminate point of time.

   He will arrive sometime next week.

2. at an indefinite future time.

   Come to see me sometime.

3. Archaic.,  sometimes; on some occasions.

4. Archaic.,  at one time; formerly.

adjective

1. having been formerly; former.

   The diplomat was a sometime professor of history at Oxford.

2. being so only at times or to some extent.

   Traveling so much, he could never be more than a sometime husband.

3. that cannot be depended upon regarding affections or loyalties.

   He was well rid of his sometime girlfriend.

sometime

/ ˈsʌmˌtaɪm /

adverb

1. at some unspecified point of time

adjective

1. (prenominal) having been at one time; former

   the sometime President

2. (prenominal) occasional; infrequent

Usage

The form sometime should not be used to refer to a fairly long period of time: he has been away for some time (not for sometime )

Spelling Note

The adverb sometime is written as one word: He promised to paint the garage sometime soon. The two-word form some time means “an unspecified interval or period of time”: It will take some time for the wounds to heal.

Word History and Origins

Origin of sometime¹

Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300; some, time

Example Sentences

“Somebody, sometime, has got to take a stand and say democracy cannot survive, much less thrive with the level of big corporate and big government interference and intimidation in news.”

From Salon

Alonso said the teenager was seen in home cameras leaving the house sometime around 2 a.m.

From Los Angeles Times

A more detailed report of the crash is expected sometime in 2026.

From BBC

The next surface-level dye deployment will occur sometime Sept. 22–24, and the last underwater deployment will be Sept. 30, Carr said.

From Los Angeles Times

Saloons across the country adopt his name and invite people to “drop in on us sometime.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• late 
• once 
• periodically 
• someday