time is up

Idioms  

1. The period of time allowed for something is ended, as in Turn in your papers, students; time is up. This idiom uses up in the sense of “completed” or “expired,” a usage dating from about 1400.

---

Example Sentences

Clark approaches a breakthrough, but can’t see past his own victim complex before their time is up.

From Salon • May 30, 2026

"The Games are no longer sustainable from an environmental or a social point of view, their time is up," 29-year-old protester Francesca Missana told AFP.

From Barron's • Feb. 7, 2026

Already, some are asking if the Frenchman's time is up.

From BBC • Dec. 17, 2025

People can reapply after their time is up, but they aren’t guaranteed a bed and have to line up outside in the cold to make their petitions.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 25, 2024

Other birds are living until their time is up.

From "They Both Die at the End" by Adam Silvera