timeline

American  

[tahym-lahyn] / ˈtaɪmˌlaɪn /

Or time line

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.

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timeline British  

/ 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

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Usage

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.

Etymology

Origin of timeline

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

Explanation

A timeline is a list of important events arranged in the order in which they happened. You might write out a timeline of Civil War battles when you're studying for a big history test. Timelines are often used in history textbooks and biographies — they explain what happened during a certain period of time or to a particular person, starting with the earliest event and moving forward through time. Your own personal timeline, for example, might begin with your birth. Many timelines are represented graphically by an actual line that's dotted with points representing important events.

Example Sentences

Ganenthiran said the goal is to one day take Beacon public, adding that it is too early to set a timeline.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026

The Jeff Bezos-owned Blue Origin plans to return New Glenn to flight by the end of the year, an ambitious timeline.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 9, 2026

Whether the project gets built on the developer’s timeline, or at all, is another question.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026

OpenAI stated it hasn't set a timeline for its IPO, noting some goals are “easier as a private company.”

From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026

I’ve asked my brothers, aunts, uncles and cousins, but I have not been able to definitively establish a timeline, and have therefore relied on my own memories.

From "Educated" by Tara Westover

Related Words

• agenda
• timetable