timeline

Or time line

[tahym-lahyn]

noun

1. a linear representation of important events in the order in which they occurred.

2. a schedule; timetable.

3. Digital Technology.

   1. a collection of online posts or updates associated with a specific social media account, in reverse chronological order.

   2. timeline bar.

4. an alternate reality in which events unfold differently, often beginning at a single identifiable moment of divergence that establishes a distinct but recognizable parallel existence: We’re stuck in the darkest timeline, trapped in a dystopian nightmare.

   My free-love hippie mom just got engaged to a hedge fund manager—what timeline am I living in?

   We’re stuck in the darkest timeline, trapped in a dystopian nightmare.

timeline

/ ˈtaɪmˌlaɪn /

noun

1. a graphic representation showing the passage of time as a line

2. a time frame during which something is scheduled to happen

Word History and Origins

Origin of timeline¹

First recorded in 1950–55; time ( def. ) + line ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

That would be Michôd’s addiction to montage-ifying every significant dramatic turning point, slathering on the music to keep the timeline moving.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

For the showrunners, the compressed timeline between when the show was picked up by NBC in July to production to air meant that they had to make some compromises, including where the show was filmed.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

By effectively lengthening the universe's developmental timeline, the model makes it easier to understand how enormous structures -- such as galaxies and black holes -- could have formed so soon after the Big Bang.

Read more on Science Daily

There is no timeline for a decision on whether to step up the campaign, officials said.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Communities are in a unique position to offer swift permitting and flexible construction timelines in exchange for economic rejuvenation, tax revenue and job creation.

Read more on MarketWatch

Related Words

• agenda 
• timetable 

When To Use

What is a timeline?

A timeline is a visual representation of chronological events on a line.Timelines are often used in videos, textbooks, articles, or other media that is recounting history. In online news and entertainment, a timeline is also often used to keep track of events as they happen, especially for pressing stories such as major world events and important elections.On social media, a timeline is a broad term that refers to a collection of posts on someone’s account. For example, on Twitter, a user’s timeline is full of posts that they and those they follow create in an order determined by algorithm. While some social media sites might officially refer to such a collection as a page, board, or home, they can all casually be called timelines.Example: To recreate a timeline of events from that evening, we will need as many details as possible.