time suck

American

[tahym-suhk] / ˈtaɪmˌsʌk /

Or time-suck or timesuck

noun

Informal.

something that takes up too much of one's time.

Social media is addictive and a huge time suck when I should be studying.

Etymology

Origin of time suck

First recorded in 1980–85

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.

Let’s face it: The modern airport is a time suck.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026

“You're such a fascinating person,” she gushes as she launches into their 61-minute time suck.

From Salon • Oct. 27, 2023

"We're asking them to be exceptional in athletics, academics and this other new thing, without realising how much of a time suck it can be."

From BBC • Sep. 5, 2023

Ethan explained that apps are a time suck, while Stacy is simply not a fan of first dates.

From Washington Post • May 26, 2022

I used to just put a whole bunch of them in my mouth at the same time, suck all the salt off, then spit them all out machine-gun-style.

From "Ghost" by Jason Reynolds

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